Plah Pla Muek Recipe
charred Monterey Bay squid in a spicy+tangy seafood sauce, peanuts, cilantro
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Ingredients
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Squid
Plah (spicy-tangy seafood sauce)
Finish & garnish
Method
Squid
- 1
Prepare squid
Rinse cleaned squid under cold water and pat dry very well with paper towels. If the tubes are large, butterfly and score the interior lightly in a crosshatch pattern (about 1/4" deep) to help tenderness and appearance. Leave tentacles whole or cut into 2–3" pieces.
- 2
Season
Toss the squid with 1 tsp kosher salt, 1 tsp freshly ground black pepper and 2 tbs neutral oil until evenly coated. Let sit 10 minutes while you make the sauce so the squid comes to slightly cooler than room temperature.
- 3
Char
Heat a heavy cast-iron skillet or grill pan over high heat until smoking hot. Add a thin film of oil or place squid directly on a very hot grill. Cook squid in a single layer, 45–60 seconds per side for tubes (until edges char and meat becomes opaque) and 30–45 seconds for tentacles; do not overcook. You want pronounced char marks with slight caramelization. Transfer cooked squid to a serving platter and let rest 1–2 minutes.
Plah (spicy-tangy seafood sauce)
- 4
Toast and blend aromatics
If using whole dried chilies, warm briefly in a dry pan; for fresh chilies, use as-is. In a small mortar and pestle or blender/food processor, combine 3 garlic cloves, 2 Thai red chilies, 1 quartered shallot and 2 tbs cilantro stems. Pound or pulse to a coarse paste, scraping down the bowl as needed.
- 5
Balance sauce
In a small bowl, whisk together 3 tbs fish sauce, 3 tbs fresh lime juice, 1 tbs palm or light brown sugar and 2 tbs water until sugar dissolves. Stir in the garlic-chile-shallot paste. Taste and adjust: add more lime for acidity, fish sauce for saltiness or a touch more sugar if too sharp. The sauce should be bright, salty, tangy and slightly sweet.
- 6
Finish sauce
Stir in 1 tbs toasted rice powder (khao khua) or toasted panko for a nutty depth and slight body to the dressing. If the sauce is very thick, add up to 1 additional tablespoon water to loosen.
Finish & assemble
- 7
Dress squid
Pour the plah sauce over the warm charred squid, using just enough to coat and flavor—about half to three quarters of the sauce for immediate serving. Toss gently to coat pieces, taking care not to break delicate tubes.
- 8
Garnish
Scatter 3 tbs coarsely chopped roasted peanuts, 2 tbs chopped cilantro leaves, 2 tbs thinly sliced red onion/shallot, 1 tsp thinly sliced fresh Thai chiles and 1 tbs sliced scallion over the dressed squid.
- 9
Serve
Serve immediately with lime wedges on the side. Provide steamed jasmine rice or plain lettuce leaves if desired. Any remaining sauce can be served alongside as a dipping sauce.