Stir-fried Squid With Black Bean Sauce Recipe

Clean and cut squid

If not already cleaned, remove head, innards, quill, and skin from squid. Rinse well. Pat dry with paper towels. Slice bodies into 1/2-inch rings; keep tentacles whole. Place squid in a bowl and set aside in the refrigerator until ready to cook.

Prepare aromatics and vegetables

Thinly slice shallot, mince garlic, julienne ginger, cut bell pepper into 1/2-inch strips, slice red chili if using, and julienne scallions separating whites from greens.

Rinse and chop black beans

Rinse the fermented black beans briefly under running water to remove excess salt and debris, then roughly chop with the side of a knife.

Mix sauce

In a small bowl combine the chopped fermented black beans, light soy sauce, oyster sauce, Shaoxing wine, warm stock, sugar, white pepper and sesame oil. In a separate small cup, dissolve the cornstarch in cold water to make a slurry. Set both aside.

Heat wok and sear aromatics

Place a wok or large nonstick skillet over high heat until smoking slightly. Add vegetable oil and swirl to coat. Add the shallot whites, minced garlic and julienned ginger. Stir-fry quickly for 20–30 seconds until fragrant and the shallots begin to soften but do not brown.

Add fermented black beans

Add the chopped fermented black beans to the aromatics and stir-fry for another 20 seconds to bloom their flavor. Press them lightly with a spatula to break them up and distribute.

Deglaze and make sauce

Pour in the Shaoxing wine to deglaze the wok, scraping any browned bits. Immediately add the combined soy-oyster-stock mixture. Bring to a gentle simmer for about 30 seconds to marry flavors.

Cook vegetables

Add the bell pepper strips and the white parts of the scallions. Stir-fry for 30–45 seconds until they are bright and just tender-crisp.

Add squid and finish

Increase heat to high. Add the squid rings and tentacles in a single layer if possible, tossing constantly. Stir-fry for 1 to 1.5 minutes — just until the squid turns opaque and firms; do not overcook or it will become rubbery.

Thicken sauce and season

Give the cornstarch slurry a quick re-stir and pour into the wok while stirring the sauce continuously. Cook for another 15–30 seconds until the sauce has thickened and coats the squid. Taste and adjust seasoning with salt if needed. Add the sliced red chili if using.

Finish with aromatics

Turn off the heat and drizzle the sesame oil over the dish. Toss in the scallion greens and cilantro (if using) and give a quick final toss to combine.

Transfer the stir-fried squid with black bean sauce to a warmed platter. Sprinkle with toasted sesame seeds if desired and serve immediately with steamed jasmine rice or plain noodles.