Squid Stir-Fry With Pickled Mustard Greens

Cantonese eateries in your neighborhood’s Chinatown likely provide a classic rice plate dinner with squid stir-fry with Pickled Mustard Greens. This dish is commonly found on the menus of restaurants where Cantonese is the primary language spoken by diners.

Squid stir-fry with sour vegetables, squid stir-fry with pickled vegetables, and squid stir-fry with salty vegetables are just a few of the many English titles for this meal.

All of these names are correct; which one is used depends on the individual doing the translating from Chinese. The most well-known name in Chinese is “sour vegetable stir-fried squid.”

Try out this delicious squid stir-fry.

Ingredients:

• 450g of cleaned fresh squid
• 340g of pickled mustard greens (cut in ½-inchx2-inch strips)
• 5 dried red chili peppers
• 3 cloves peeled and smashed garlic
• 3 ⅛-inch thick slices of ginger (smashed with the side of your knife)
• 2 scallions (cut into 1-inch pieces)
• ½ cup of chicken stock
• 2 tablespoons of vegetable oil
• 1½ tablespoons of Shaoxing wine
• 1 tablespoon of cornstarch
• 2 teaspoons of sugar
• 1 teaspoon of salt
• ½ teaspoon of sesame oil
• ⅛ teaspoon of ground white pepper

Instructions:

1. Bring 2 quarts of water and 1/2 teaspoon of salt to a boil in your wok. The squid must be washed and sliced into bite-sized pieces before being added to the water and cooked for about 30 seconds, or until it becomes white in color. Remove them from the wok and let them drain on paper towels.
2. Place two teaspoons of vegetable oil in your wok and heat it over medium heat. Toss the mashed ginger into the wok and cook for 10 seconds in the oil. Then, after about 10 seconds more of frying, add the smashed garlic.
3. For 5 seconds, stir-fry the white parts of the scallion and the dried whole chili peppers (if using). Toasted whole chili peppers provide a beautiful delicate flavor to this meal, but be careful not to break the peppers; otherwise, the dish will be rather spicy.
4. Stir-fry the pickled mustard greens for 30 seconds over medium-high heat. Stir in the Shaoxing wine. Stir-fry the mustard greens for a further 30 seconds to give them a good sear. If any of the spices or herbs smell like they are burning, reduce the heat.
5. Once the chicken broth has been returned to the wok, the sugar, remaining 1/2 teaspoon of salt, and white pepper should be added. Turn the heat down and simmer for 3 minutes.
6. Stir for 30 seconds after adding the squid. Then, stir in the cornstarch-and-water paste. Stir in the scallions’ leftover green parts and cook for another 30 seconds.
7. If the sauce is too thin, add more chicken stock; if you want it thicker, add more cornstarch and water. If you want extra sauce, add more chicken stock and herbs.