Chả mực (Squid Cakes)

Squid patties with a firm, bouncy texture, fried to a deep golden brown. The intense ocean scent balances perfectly with notes of garlic and black pepper.

• Prep time: 40 min
• Cook time: 15 min
• Difficulty: Medium
• Calories: 572
• Protein: 26 g
• Carbs: 8 g
• Fat: 48 g

Ingredients

• 600 g Cuttlefish ( cleaned and dried )
• 100 g Fatback ( finely diced )
• 2 piece Garlic ( minced )
• 2 piece Shallot ( minced )
• 2 tbsp fish sauce
• 1 tsp Black pepper ground
• 1 tbsp Corn starch
• 1 tsp Baking powder
• 1 piece Dill ( chopped )
• 750 ml Peanut oil ( for frying )

Instructions

1. Preparing the squid

   Clean the squid by removing the skin, beak, and bone. Pat the flesh thoroughly with paper towels. The meat must be perfectly dry to ensure a firm texture.

2. Grinding and mixing

   Dice the squid and pork fat into small cubes. Mince the garlic and shallots. Grind everything together or use a mortar and pestle until it forms a sticky, homogeneous paste.

3. Seasoning

   Incorporate the fish sauce, black pepper, cornstarch, baking powder, and finely chopped dill. Mix vigorously by hand to incorporate air.

4. Shaping and frying

   Form patties about 5 cm in diameter. Heat the oil to 170°C. Drop the patties in: they should float to the surface and become golden brown and puffed up.

Chef's tips

• The secret is in the pounding: the more you work the paste, the springier it becomes.
• Don't over-process in a food processor to avoid heating the meat, which would ruin the texture.

Storage

Keeps for 3 days in the refrigerator. To restore crispiness, briefly reheat in a pan or hot oven.