A very, very fast dish, because the squid must be cooked only briefly to prevent toughness. So make your side dishes first; rice is the natural choice, and it will keep perfectly well over low heat while you stir-fry. Thai basil is so unlike Italian basil that they might as well be different herbs; not only does the Thai variety look different, but it is infinitely mintier. If you’re using Italian basil, therefore, you might consider adding a small handful of mint leaves. See page 500 for information on Thai fish sauce (nam pla). If your squid hasn’t already been cleaned, see page 98.

　　

Ingredients

makes 4 servings

　　1 1/2 pounds cleaned squid, rinsed well

　　2 tablespoons peanut oil

　　1 tablespoon minced garlic

　　2 small fresh chiles, preferably Thai, stemmed, seeded, and chopped, or to taste, or crumbled dried chiles or hot red pepper flakes to taste

　　1/4 teaspoon ground coriander

　　1 tablespoon sugar

　　2 tablespoons nam pla

　　1 lime leaf, minced, if available

　　1/2 cup basil leaves, preferably Thai, roughly chopped if large

　　Salt to taste

　　

Step 1

Dry the squid well with cloth or paper towels. Cut vertically through the group of tentacles if it is large; otherwise, leave whole. Cut the squid bodies into rectangles, diamonds, or squares, with no dimension greater than 1 inch. The pieces should be fairly uniform in size. Have everything else ready and at hand before you begin to cook.

　　

Step 2

Put a large nonstick skillet over high heat; add the oil and, when it shimmers, add the garlic, chiles, and coriander. Cook, stirring almost constantly, for 15 seconds. Raise the heat to high, add the squid, and cook, stirring occasionally, for about 3 minutes, just until it loses its raw look.

　　

Step 3

Lower the heat to medium and stir in the sugar, nam pla, lime leaf if you have it, and basil. Cook, stirring, for another few seconds, just until the basil wilts. Taste, add salt or more chile or nam pla if necessary, and serve.

　　

Stir-Fried Squid, Korean Style

Step 4

Same technique, different ingredients: In step 3, stir in 1/4 cup water, 1 tablespoon go chu jang (page 591) or 1 tablespoon miso mixed with a pinch of cayenne, 2 tablespoons soy sauce, 1 tablespoon toasted sesame seeds (page 596), and 1 teaspoon dark sesame oil. Instead of basil, garnish with minced scallion.

　　The Best Recipes in the World by Mark Bittman. © 2005 by Mark Bittman. Published by Broadway Books. All Rights Reserved.MARK BITTMAN is the author of the blockbuster The Best Recipes in the World (Broadway, 2005) and the classic bestseller How to Cook Everything, which has sold more than one million copies. He is also the coauthor, with Jean-Georges Vongerichten, of Simple to Spectacular and Jean-Georges: Cooking at Home with a Four-Star Chef. Mr. Bittman is a prolific writer, makes frequent appearances on radio and television, and is the host of The Best Recipes in the World, a 13-part series on public television. He lives in New York and Connecticut.