SAUTEED CALAMARI OR BABY SQUID (Guisadong Pusit)

 

Though, many people think that a squid and calamari are the same, but in my own opinion both terms are different. Calamari is more tender and smaller than the squid. A squid is bigger and more chewy. You have to take out the guts on that one but in calamari it can be cooked as a whole since it is close to nothing in the inside.

In Mediterranean dishes, a calamari is a baby squid cut into rings, coated with batter and other special ingredients and then deep fried and serve as an appetizer. In the Philippines, we cook this whole baby squid as a main dish to pair with rice because it is more satisfying this way.   

COOKING A CALAMARI FILIPINO STYLE

I recommend cooking this in a wide deep skillet to coat the sauce and liquid evenly to penetrate the flavor while boiling without constantly stirring. Then wait until the sauce boils down. Cooking this does not take long, as it is already tender but you can only get the most flavor when the natural liquid runs out.

INGREDIENTS:

• 3 lbs. calamari or baby squid
• 1/8 cup coconut oil
• 1 small cut up ginger
• 3 cloves garlic
• 2 small diced tomatoes or 1/4 cup cherry tomatoes
• 2 fresh/dried whole bay leaves
• 2 tbsp. silver swan soy sauce or your favorite soy sauce.
• 1 tbsp any vinegar or lemon juice
• 1 jalapeno pepper (Optional)
• sea salt and black pepper to taste

INSTRUCTIONS:

• Take the white backbone or cartilage from the whole calamari and then pat dry well.
• Add coconut oil in a heated wide skillet(see skillet in amazon)
• Add ginger, garlic and tomatoes. Cook until brown.
• Add bay leaves, calamari, salt, pepper, vinegar or lemon juice and soy sauce. Stir and then cover.
• Stir occasionally and cook until the liquid runs out to get the most flavor.
• Add jalapeno pepper. This will actually give a little spicy and a fresh peppery taste to it. Stir

Serve with warm rice and Enjoy! The leftover also taste great!