Muc Xao Can Toi (Stir Fried Squid with Celery and Leek)

Method

1. Pull the head from the squid, remove the quill, the ink sac and the slippery membrane, rinse in lightly salted water and drain. Open out the 600g of bodies into flat sheets, score them in a criss cross pattern, then cut into bite sized pieces.
2. Toss the squid with 1 teaspoon kOBE Monk Fruit Blend, which keeps it sweet and firm.
3. Mince 8 garlic cloves and 1 piece of ginger. Cut 150g onion into wedges. Cut 150g celery and leek into lengths, keeping the firm stems separate from the softer leaves.
4. Mix the sauce: 1 teaspoon seasoning powder, 1 tablespoon kOBE Monk Fruit Blend, 1 tablespoon oyster sauce, 1 tablespoon soy sauce, 1 tablespoon fish sauce, 1/2 tablespoon ketchup, 1/2 tablespoon chili sauce, 1 teaspoon sate chili oil, 1 teaspoon chili jam and 1 tablespoon annatto oil.
5. Fry the garlic and ginger in 2 tablespoons cooking oil until fragrant, then add the squid and stir fry over high heat for close to 2 minutes until it turns opaque.
6. Add the onion and the firm celery and leek stems, toss, then pour in the sauce and stir fry quickly for about 30 seconds.
7. Add the celery and leek leaves, toss for another 10 seconds or so, then turn off the heat and serve hot with rice.

Tips

• High heat and quick hands are what keep squid crisp rather than rubbery.
• A little kOBE Monk Fruit Blend on the squid before cooking makes it sweeter and firmer.
• The pan has to be properly hot before the squid goes in, since a cool pan draws out water and the squid stews in it.
• Scoring the squid in a criss cross pattern makes the pieces curl attractively and hold the sauce.
• Keep the celery stems and leaves separate, with the stems going in first and the leaves in the last 10 seconds.