Can be prepared in 45 minutes or less.

　　

Ingredients

Serves 4

　　

For sauce

2 tablespoons tamarind (from a pliable block)

　　1/4 cup warm water

　　2 tablespoons fresh lime juice

　　1 1/2 tablespoons Asian fish sauce (preferably nuoc mam)

　　2 garlic cloves, minced

　　2 teaspoons sugar

　　Tabasco to taste if not drizzling sriracha sauce on salad

　　1 pound cleaned large squid

　　1/3 cup fresh basil leaves (preferably Thai basil), washed well and spun dry

　　1/3 cup fresh mint leaves, washed well and spun dry

　　1 cup thinly sliced red onion

　　sriracha sauce (Asian chili sauce) to taste if desired

　　

Make sauce:

Step 1

In a bowl stir together tamarind and warm water, mashing tamarind gently, about 4 minutes and strain through a fine sieve into a bowl, pressing hard on solids. Add remaining sauce ingredients, stirring until sugar is dissolved.

　　

Step 2

Flower-cut squid (procedure follows) or cut squid sacs crosswise into 1/2-inch ring and halve flaps crosswise. Halve large tentacles. In a large saucepan of boiling salted water cook squid 45 seconds, or just until opaque, and drain in a colander. Rinse squid under cold water to stop cooking and drain well. Add squid to sauce, tossing well. Salad may be prepared up to this point 1 day ahead and chilled, covered. Bring salad to room temperature before proceeding with recipe.

　　

Step 3

Add herbs and onion to salad and toss well. Serve salad drizzled with sriracha sauce.

　　

To Flower-Cut Squid:

Step 4

Remove flaps from body sacs and reserve. Cut each body sac lengthwise along seam to form a flat piece and rinse squid well. Spread squid inner side up on a work surface. Holding a sharp knife at a 45-degree angle to work surface, score squid diagonally every 1/8 to 1/4 inch in a cross-hatch pattern. Score flaps in same manner. Cut squid into 1-inch pieces.