Sizzling Iron-Plate Squid

铁板鱿鱼

Sizzling Iron-Plate Squid — Home-styleQingdao home cooking.

Ingredients

• cleaned squid tubes and tentacles
• garlic
• scallion
• cooking wine

Instructions

1. Bring 1 L water to boil in a pot. Add 1 tsp salt and squid. Blanch 45 seconds only—remove immediately and plunge into ice water. Drain well and pat completely dry. (Squid curls tightly and turns opaque white-pink, not gray or rubbery.)
2. Heat a cast-iron skillet or flat griddle over high heat until smoking lightly (2–3 minutes). Swirl in 1 tbsp neutral oil. (Oil shimmers and forms thin, fast-moving ripples.)
3. Add white parts of scallions and minced garlic. Stir-fry 15 seconds until fragrant but not browned. (Garlic pieces turn glossy and release visible aromatic steam.)
4. Add squid and 2 tsp cooking wine. Toss constantly over high heat for 60–75 seconds until edges crisp and center remains springy. (Squid develops golden-brown speckles at edges while staying plump.)
5. Remove from heat. Immediately add green scallion parts and toss once. Serve sizzling-hot directly from pan onto pre-warmed plates. (Green scallions retain vivid color; steam rises vigorously from plate.)