Grilled squid with green chilli
Imagine a Vietnamese person growing up in Australia. That’s the simplest way to describe chef Thi Le’s cuisine at Anchovy in the inner Melbourne suburb of Richmond, one of Australia’s frequently praised small restaurants.
In her recent book Viet Kieu (which refers to people of Vietnamese ancestry living outside of Vietnam), the story of Thi’s food is revealed in the stories of her life: Vietnamese in name, born in a Malaysian refugee camp and raised in suburban Australia.
Inroduction
About this Recipe
By Sheridan Rogers
Food media have struggled to pigeon-hole her cuisine but found it impossible to label the scope of Anchovy's menu which stretched from the Vietnamese flavours of her ancestral kitchen to the Turkish-Arabic-Filipino nuances of her Western Sydney childhood through to the European and miscellaneous Southeast influences from her travels and working in professional kitchens. Her book is very much a 21st century take on the essence of Vietnamese cuisine. I learnt a great deal reading about her life, her cooking techniques, pluck and adaptability. "This recipe is an ode to the ubiquitous bottles of Dasavi Lemon Chilli Sauce for Seafood that you find offered as a condiment by almost all street food vendors in Ho Chi Minh City," says Thi.
Ingredients
350 g (12 oz) whole squid, cleaned
30 ml (1 fl oz) olive oil, for brushing
pinch of sea salt
100 ml (3½ fl oz) green chilli and lime dressing
Thai basil leaves, to garnish
Green chilli and lime dressing:
35 g (1¼ oz) coriander (cilantro) roots, washed well
25 g (1 oz) garlic cloves, peeled
10 g (¼ oz) green scud chillies
75 ml (2½ fl oz) lime juice, strained
55 g (¼ cup) caster (superfine) sugar
55 ml (1¾ fl oz) fish sauce
Clean the squid
1. In one hand, hold the bottom of the squid (head and tentacles). With your other hand, hold the hood (triangular piece on the other end) and gently pull it away from the body. If necessary, trim any connective tissue to completely detach the hood. Set aside.
2. Locate the beak at the centre of the tentacles, where they meet the body. Cut off the beak with a sharp knife and discard.
3. The hard rings are the firm, circular sections found along the length of the tentacles. Slice through each ring with your knife to remove, and discard.
4. The slimy black outer layer is the skin of the squid. The easiest way to remove it is to gently peel it off by starting at one end and pulling it away from the flesh.
5. Clean the hood, tentacles, body and wings (the flat, triangular extensions on either side of the body, which add texture and flavour) using a paper towel to remove any debris.
Grill the squid
6. Prepare a barbecue grill or chargrill (see page 104) to medium heat.
7. Brush or spray the squid, including the hood and tentacles, with oil and sprinkle with sea salt.
8. Place all the squid on the hot grill, pressing it down with tongs. Cook on each side for 2–3 minutes until the flesh turns opaque.
9.
Remove from the heat and leave to rest for 1 minute.
To serve
10. Cut the squid into thick slices and transfer to a plate. Dress with the green chilli and lime dressing and serve topped with Thai basil.
For the Green chilli and lime dressing:
1 Blend all the ingredients in either a mortar and pestle or a mini food processor. (Thi prefers the texture of the sauce made using a mortar and pestle, but feel free to take whichever route suits you.)
2 Check the seasoning and adjust to your liking. This dressing is best used soon after making.
Makes about 250ml (1 cup).