Sizzling Barbecue-Style Grilled Marinated Squid
Replicate restaurant-style grilled squid at home. A secret cumin and Korean chili paste marinade gives these tender squid strips a bold, savory glaze.
Grilled squid is a beloved staple of late-night street food culture across East Asia, famous for its smoky aroma and deeply savory glaze. The secret to the highly addictive flavor found in professional barbecue stalls lies in a precise balance of aromatic cumin seeds and rich, fermented chili paste. By rendering pork fat to grease the griddle, this recipe locks in moisture rapidly, capturing that authentic, high-heat charred perfection right in your home kitchen.
Ingredients
- 500 g adult squid
- 1 whole red onion
- 1 tbsp minced garlic
- 20 g cooking wine
- 20 g light soy sauce
- 15 g oyster sauce
- 25 g Korean chili paste
- 5 g chicken bouillon
- 1 tbsp cumin seeds
- 50 g pork fat meat
- to taste chopped scallions
- to taste fresh cilantro leaves
Instructions
- 1Slice the squid into strips
Clean the raw squid thoroughly, removing the internal cartilage and skin. Lay the squid bodies flat on a wooden cutting board and use a sharp chefs knife to slice them into mouth-sized rectangular strips and pieces.
Tip: Pat the squid completely dry with paper towels before slicing to prevent it from slipping on the cutting board. - 2Slice the red onion
Take a fresh purple red onion, peel it, and cut it in half. Place it flat-side down on the wooden cutting board and use a sharp chefs knife to slice it into thin, even strips.
Tip: Slicing the onion thinly helps it release its juices faster, blending better into the marinade. - 3Add the marinade ingredients
Place the raw squid strips into a green bowl along with the sliced red onions and minced garlic. Use a wooden spoon to add a large dollop of thick red Korean chili paste, followed by cooking wine, light soy sauce, oyster sauce, chicken bouillon, and a generous spoonful of cumin seeds.
Tip: Korean chili paste provides a rich, sweet-spicy depth that forms the signature base flavor for this barbecue recipe. - 4Mix and marinate the squid
Thoroughly mix and toss the raw squid pieces with the red chili paste, sliced onions, and all the added seasonings until every piece is completely and evenly coated. Let the mixture marinate for 30 minutes to allow the flavors to penetrate.
Tip: Ensure the seasonings are fully distributed so that every piece of squid absorbs the bold flavors of the cumin and chili paste. - 5Grease the grill pan with pork fat
Heat a black grill pan until hot. Use a pair of tongs to hold small pieces of pork fat meat and rub them thoroughly across the surface to render the lard and grease the pan until it starts smoking slightly.
Tip: Greasing the pan with rendered pork fat provides a rich, traditional savory aroma that complements seafood perfectly. - 6Add squid to the pan
Once the grill pan is smoking hot and well-greased, use tongs to place the marinated savory squid pieces and onion slices onto the pan to begin grilling over high heat.
Tip: Grill the squid quickly on a very hot pan to lock in the moisture and ensure it stays tender rather than becoming tough and rubbery. - 7Stir-fry until done
Use chopsticks to continuously stir-fry and flip the squid strips as they sizzle in the bubbling barbecue marinade. Cook quickly over high heat until the squid firms up and the sauce thickens into a glossy glaze.
Tip: Keep the heat high and move the squid constantly so it cooks quickly without becoming tough and rubbery.
