Squid in Tamarind & Squid Ink

This lovely dish tastes perfect when cooked with medium to small sized-squid as you are supposed to pop little portions of sliced squid into your mouth when eating it. The onion, garlic, ginger & lemongrass slices seems to add character to this dish but the squid ink that oozes out as this dish is being cooked, is still quite a thrill for me :-)


Ingredients:

• 1 kg small to medium-sized squid,cleaned & sliced, making sure the squid ink is left intact (Wash squid before slicing)
• 2 tbsp oil
• 1 large red onion, sliced thinly
• 4 garlic, sliced thinly
• 1 thumb size ginger, julienne finely
• 1 thumb sized fresh turmeric root, julienne finely
• 1 tsp turmeric powder
• 4 fresh red chillies, sliced slanted thinly
• 4 lemongrass, sliced slanted thinly, from root to 2" upwards (discard the leaves)
• 1/2 cup tamarind juice
• 2 tsp salt

Method:

1. Heat oil in a pan. Sautee' the onions,garlic,ginger,turmeric root, lemongrass & chillies till it becomes limp.
2. Add in the turmeric powder.
3. Put the squid next. Cook for about 5 minutes.
4. Pour in the tamarind juice.
5. Flavour with salt.
6. Cook for a further 5 minutes or until the squid ink seeps into the gravy & the sauce turns black.....Never overcook squid or it will be rubbery to eat.
7. We are done & set to begin eating with plain white rice!