ปลาหมึกนึ่งมะนาว (Pla Muek Neung Manao)
Currently rated:
Rated 4.5 Stars from 3631 reader reviews
First published on August 15, 2015
Recipe by W. Tipsuwan
In Thailand we eat a lot of Calamari. We call it Plah Meuk, and you'll see it everywhere: barbecued, in soups, stir-fries, and salads. Here we steam these lovely whole calamari and serve them with a delicious dipping sauce made with lots of fresh garlic, chilies, cilantro, lime juice, and coconut sugar. This type of fresh sauce is quite common in Thailand, and we usually serve it with fish. Most people here refer to it as simply "seafood dipping sauce", and there are many different ways to make it. What makes this recipe for Nam Jim Seafood different than others you might have seen, is that the ingredients are not cooked. It has a strong bite of fresh garlic, but that is balanced out nicely in a delicious Thai combination of spicy red chilies, sour lime juice, sweet coconut sugar, and salty fish sauce flavors. This recipe is a "must have" in the Thai Food section of your recipe file.
If not already done, clean out the intestines from your calamari and thoroughly wash them. Let them drip dry or use a paper towel to absorb all the remaining water so they are fairly dry. Put them in a mixing bowl with the two tablespoons fresh squeezed lime juice. Mix it up well and let them marinate for 15 minutes.
Put the coconut sugar in a small microwavable bowl and add 1 tablespoon of water. Heat in your microwave for just a few seconds, but long enough to get hot. Do not boil it.
Stir it up well until you get a smooth syrup.
Squeeze enough limes to get 1/4 cup of juice.
Cut the cilantro leaves carefully with a sharp knife into 1/2 inch pieces. Do not chop the cilantro.
Peel and chop enough garlic so you have about 3 tablespoons of finely chopped garlic.
Slice the hot chilies very thin, but do not chop them.
Stir the sugar syrup, fish sauce, and lime juice together well.
Add the garlic and chilies, stir them in well.
Let it sit for about 15 minutes or more. Do not add the cilantro until just before serving.
Heat the water in your steamer until boiling, then lay all the calamari in. Cover and steam for about 5 minutes.
When they are cooking the calamari will puff up and become firm. The outer skin will crack open. Turn them over and around at least once or twice so they cook evenly. Do not overcook them. Remove from the steam and place them in a bowl of cold water. This dish is served at room temperature.
Add the cilantro leaves to the garlic salsa and stir in gently.
Garnish with a sprig or two of fresh cilantro.
Slice the calamari across the body into 1/2 inch rings, and arrange them on a plate with the heads.
Serve with satay sticks for eating, with the dipping salsa close by.