Chinese Squid Recipe - Three Cup Squid

Tender squid rings coated with dark stir-fry Asian sauce.

4.66 from 23 votes

Chinese Squid Recipe - Three Cup Squid

Try Three Cup Squid, a delicious Chinese squid recipe that's easy to make. Tender squid is cooked in a rich soy, rice wine, and sesame oil sauce. Perfect for seafood lovers, this dish offers an authentic taste of Asian squid recipes.

Prep Time20

Cook Time5

Total Time25

Course: Squid

Cuisine: Chinese Recipes

Keyword: Chinese Squid Recipe, Three-Cup Squid

Servings: people

Author: Bee Yinn Low

Ingredients

12 oz (375g) squid cleaned and cut into rings
2 tablespoons sesame oil
6 cloves garlic skin peeled
6 slices ginger
2 tablespoons soy sauce
1 tablespoon dark soy sauce
1 1/2 tablespoons Shaoxing wine or Chinese rice wine
1 teaspoon cornstarch
1 tsp water mix the cornstarch and water well
1 red chili seeded and sliced
1/4 cup packed Asian basil leaves with purple stems removed

Instructions

Clean the squid thoroughly and cut it into pieces. Rinse with cold water. Bring a pot of water to a boil, then quickly blanch the squid for 5-10 seconds. Drain and set aside.
Heat a skillet on high and add sesame oil. Stir-fry the garlic and ginger until aromatic, then add the squid and stir quickly for a few seconds.
Add soy sauce, sweet soy sauce, Shaoxing wine, and the cornstarch mixture. Stir the squid to coat it well with the sauce. Mix in the red chili and Thai basil leaves.
Dish out and serve immediately with steamed rice.

Notes

For Chinese stir-fry, squid is typically quickly blanched in hot water before stir-frying. This brief blanching helps keep the squid tender and soft. During stir-frying, the quick cooking ensures the squid remains tender and doesn’t become overcooked or rubbery.
When choosing squid, it should have a clean, slightly sweet scent and shiny, clear skin with firm, translucent flesh. Avoid any with a strong fishy odor, discoloration, or sliminess. Fresh squid should have clear, bright eyes; cloudy or sunken eyes indicate it’s not fresh. Choose squid of similar size for even cooking or larger ones for whole recipes. If buying frozen, ensure the packaging is intact and free from freezer burn or ice crystals.
To clean squid, peel off the skin, separate the head from the tube, and remove the ink sac. Rinse the body and tentacles under cold water. If needed, cut the tube into rings and pat dry.

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