Equipment
Ingredients
Squid
- 400 g fresh squid tubes, cleaned
- 2000 ml water, boiling
Vegetables & Aromatics
- 150 g iceberg lettuce, torn or shredded
- 80 g red bell pepper, julienned
- 80 g green bell pepper, julienned
- 1 lemongrass, thinly sliced
- 15 g fresh ginger, julienned or minced
- 15 g fresh cilantro, roughly chopped
- 30 g shallot, thinly sliced
Zesty Dressing
- 45 ml lime juice, freshly squeezed
- 15 ml lemon juice, freshly squeezed
- 45 ml fish sauce
- 15 g palm sugar, grated
- 1 bird's eye chili, finely chopped
Nutrition (per serving)
Nutrition is estimated per serving. Nutrients without complete source data are omitted.
Full nutrition
- Calories
- 296 kcal
- Protein
- 35 g
- Carbohydrates
- 32 g
- Fat
- 3 g
- Fiber
- 4 g
- Sugar
- 14 g
- Sodium
- 1156 mg
- Saturated Fat
- 1 g
- Monounsaturated Fat
- 0 g
- Polyunsaturated Fat
- 1 g
- Cholesterol
- 466 mg
- Potassium
- 1041 mg
- Calcium
- 125 mg
- Iron
- 5.6 mg
- Magnesium
- 133 mg
- Phosphorus
- 510 mg
- Zinc
- 3.7 mg
- Vitamin A
- 274 mcg
- Vitamin C
- 152 mg
- Vitamin E
- 3.3 mg
- Vitamin K
- 20 mcg
- Vitamin B6
- 0.3 mg
- Vitamin B12
- 2.6 mcg
- Thiamin
- 0.11 mg
- Riboflavin
- 0.89 mg
- Niacin
- 5.0 mg
- Folate
- 60 mcg
- Water
- 1311 g
Sources: Aggregated Public Data, USDA FoodData Central
Method
Prepare the squid by slicing the tubes open to form flat sheets. Use a sharp knife to lightly score the inside surface in a crosshatch (diamond) pattern without cutting all the way through. Slice into bite-sized rectangular pieces (approx 3x5 cm).
Bring a large pot of water to a rolling boil. Prepare an ice bath nearby by filling a bowl with cold water and ice.
Blanch the squid in the boiling water for 30 to 60 seconds. Remove immediately with a spider strainer as soon as the pieces curl up and turn opaque white.
Immediately plunge the cooked squid into the ice bath to stop the cooking process. Let sit for 2 minutes, then drain thoroughly and pat dry.
In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the lime juice, lemon juice, fish sauce, palm sugar, and chopped chili until the sugar is fully dissolved.
Add the drained squid, sliced lemongrass, ginger, shallot, red bell pepper, green bell pepper, and half the cilantro to the dressing bowl. Toss well to combine.
Arrange the torn iceberg lettuce on a serving platter. Mound the marinated squid salad on top and garnish with the remaining cilantro. Serve immediately.
Chef's Notes
- To clean lemongrass, peel away the tough outer layers until you reach the pale, tender center before slicing.
- If you cannot find palm sugar, brown sugar adds a nice caramel depth that complements the fish sauce better than white sugar.
- For maximum flavor penetration, you can let the squid sit in the dressing for 10 minutes before adding the fresh herbs and lettuce, but don't wait too long or the acids will toughen the meat.
Storage
Refrigerator: 1 day — Best eaten fresh; acids will toughen squid over time.
Troubleshooting
Squid is rubbery and tough
Cause: Overcooked during blanching
Fix: Cannot be fixed, but slicing very thinly may help palatability
Prevention: Cook for no longer than 60 seconds; remove immediately when curled and opaque
Salad tastes watery
Cause: Squid was not drained properly after the ice bath
Fix: Add more fish sauce and lime juice to re-balance flavor
Prevention: Pat squid completely dry with paper towels before adding to dressing
Cultural Context
Inspired by the Thai dish 'Yam Pla Muek', this salad balances the four pillars of Thai cuisine: sour (lime), salty (fish sauce), spicy (chili), and sweet (sugar). It is typically enjoyed as an appetizer or part of a shared meal with rice to offset the intense flavors.
