Muc Xao Dua Leo (Stir Fried Squid with Cucumber)

Method

1. Clean 500g squid, score it in a crosshatch pattern and cut into bite sized pieces, then marinate with the minced ginger and half the ground pepper.
2. Rinse the cucumber, scrape out the seeds and cut it on the diagonal. Rinse the spring onion and cut it into lengths.
3. Set a pan with 2 tablespoons cooking oil. Once the oil is very hot, fry 1 tablespoon minced garlic until fragrant, add the squid and stir fry quickly over high heat for 2 to 3 minutes until firm, then tip it onto a plate.
4. In the same pan, stir fry the cucumber quickly for about 1 minute.
5. Return the squid to the pan, season with 2 tablespoons fish sauce, 1 teaspoon kOBE Monk Fruit Blend, 1 teaspoon seasoning powder and 1 teaspoon chili sauce, and toss until coated.
6. Add the spring onion, turn off the heat, transfer to a plate and scatter over the remaining ground pepper.

Tips

• Squid cooked over high heat for only 2 to 3 minutes stays snappy and sweet, while longer cooking turns it rubbery and watery.
• Seeding the cucumber before it goes in the pan keeps the dish from going limp.
• The kOBE Monk Fruit Blend dissolves slowly, so mix it into the fish sauce before it goes into the pan.
• Squid drained thoroughly before cooking keeps the pan hot, as any water drops the temperature and steams it instead.
• A shallow crosshatch is enough, as deep scoring makes the pieces curl up tight and tough.
• Cucumber added in the final minute keeps its cool crunch and green color.