Chilli-Lime Squid Salad (Printable)

Tender squid with zesty chilli-lime dressing, fresh herbs, and crispy shallots for a vibrant crunch.

# What You Need:

→ Squid

01 - 1 lb 2 oz cleaned squid tubes, sliced into rings
02 - 1 tbsp vegetable oil

→ Dressing

03 - 2 tbsp fish sauce
04 - 3 tbsp fresh lime juice
05 - 1 tbsp light soy sauce, gluten-free preferred
06 - 1 tbsp palm sugar or light brown sugar
07 - 2 red chillies, finely sliced
08 - 2 garlic cloves, minced

→ Salad

09 - 3.5 oz mixed salad leaves such as rocket, baby spinach, and coriander
10 - 1 small cucumber, seeded and sliced into half-moons
11 - 1 medium carrot, julienned
12 - 1 small red onion, thinly sliced
13 - ½ cup fresh mint leaves
14 - ½ cup fresh coriander leaves

→ Garnish

15 - ¼ cup crispy fried shallots
16 - 1 lime, cut into wedges

# Directions:

01 - Pat squid dry with paper towels. Toss with vegetable oil and season with salt.
02 - Heat a grill pan or skillet over high heat. Sear squid in batches for 1 to 2 minutes until just opaque and lightly charred. Remove from heat and let cool slightly.
03 - In a small bowl, whisk together fish sauce, lime juice, soy sauce, palm sugar, chillies, and garlic until sugar is dissolved.
04 - In a large bowl, combine salad leaves, cucumber, carrot, red onion, mint, and coriander. Add cooled squid and drizzle with dressing. Toss gently to coat.
05 - Divide salad among serving plates. Top with crispy fried shallots and serve with lime wedges.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • The squid cooks in less than five minutes, so you can have a restaurant-quality dinner on the table faster than you'd expect.
  • It's naturally dairy-free and gluten-free, which means you're not sacrificing flavor for dietary needs.
  • The crispy shallots give you that textural contrast that makes every bite feel special without any fussy technique.
02 -
  • Overcooking squid is the most common mistake, and there's no recovery from it—timing is everything, so set a timer if you're new to cooking squid.
  • Dress the salad just before serving because the acid in the lime juice will start to wilt the leaves if it sits too long, and you lose that bright freshness that makes this dish special.
03 -
  • Toast your own shallots if you're feeling ambitious—thin slices fried in oil until golden brown taste fresher than store-bought and let you control the salt.
  • Chill everything except the squid before you start, because eating warm squid on cold salad greens is part of what makes this work.
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