Dried Squid Recipe Chinese: Sweet and Spicy Stir-Fried Squid Strips!
Dried squid is a commonly eaten snack in Asian countries like China, Korea, etc. Instead of eating dried squid directly, you can turn it into awesome dishes. Cooked dried squid tastes a lot better as the squid strips get plumper. You can make various side dishes or snacks using this popular seafood.
Today, I will show you a dried squid recipe Chinese people often eat. It is stir-fried dried squid with a special sauce that elevates the flavor of the squid. You don’t need a lot of time to make this umami side dish. Let’s get into the detailed recipe.
Table of Contents
Dried Squid Recipe Chinese Overview
Before jumping into the cooking process, I have some essential information about this recipe for you.
| Course: Side dish | Cuisine: Chinese | Difficulty: Easy | ||
| Total Time: 20 minutes | ||||
| Serving | Preparation Time | Cooking Time | Calories | |
| 2 persons | 10 minutes | 10 minutes | 348 kcal | |
Ingredients Needed for the Recipe
Using the right amount of sauces and spices is crucial to getting the authentic flavor of the stir-fried squid. Check the ingredients list below.
- Dried Squid: 200g of dried squid strips
- Cooking Wine: 5 tsp
- Mayonnaise: 2 tsp
- Oil: 2 tbsp
- Soy Sauce: 1 tbsp
- Sugar: 1 tbsp
- Garlic: 1 tsp, minced
- Gochujang: 3 tsp of gochujang
- Corn Syrup: 3 tsp
- Sesame Oil: 1 tsp
- Sesame Seed: 1 tsp of white sesame seeds
Dried Squid Recipe Chinese: Step-By-Step Instructions
You will love how simple this recipe is. Follow the steps properly and it will be done in just under 20 minutes.
Step 1: Rehydrate the Dried Squid
Take dried squid strips in a bowl and pour warm water over them. Let them soak for one or two minutes and then rinse the strips. Put them on a paper towel and remove all the excess moisture. Then, cut the squid strips into bite-sized pieces using a pair of scissors.
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Step 2: Marinate the Squid Strips
Add 2 tsp of cooking wine and 2 tsp of mayonnaise to the squid strips. Mix well and let them rest for about 5 minutes.
Step 3: Make the Seasoning Sauce
Take 2 tbsp of cooking oil, 1 tbsp of soy sauce, 1 tbsp of sugar, 3 tsp of cooking wine, 1 tsp of minced garlic, and 3 tsp of gochujang in a bowl. Mix everything well.
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Step 4: Cook the Sauce and Add Squid Strips
Heat a pan and add the seasoning sauce you just made to the pan. Cook it for a few minutes. Add the marinated squid strips to the sauce and stir-fry them for about 2-3 minutes.
Step 5: Finish and Serve
Once the squid strips are cooked, add 3 tsp of corn syrup and 1 tsp of sesame oil to the pan. Stir-fry squid strips for one more minute and then finish with some white sesame seeds.
Nutrition Facts of the Recipe
Each serving of this dried squid recipe has 348 calories. You will get the amount of nutrients in this dish below. Remember, the amount can vary depending on the recipe.
- Total Carbohydrates: 12g
- Protein: 59g
- Total Fat: 5.2g
- Saturated Fat: 1.4g
- Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g
- Monounsaturated Fat: 0.4g
- Total Dietary Fiber: 0g
- Total Sugar: 0g
- Cholesterol: 882mg
- Sodium: 899mg
- Potassium: 931mg
- Calcium: 122mg
- Iron: 2.6mg
- Vitamin A: 32IU
- Vitamin C: 16.9mg
Do’s and Don’ts of the Recipe
I got these tips from my mom and wanted to share them with you.
Do’s
- Rinse dried squid strips multiple times to clean them properly.
- You can use honey instead of corn syrup for the sweetness.
Don’ts
- Don’t use too hot water to rinse squid strips. It will alter the natural flavor.
- Don’t stir-fry squid strips over high heat. Otherwise, they will become tough on the outside.

Dried Squid Recipe Chinese
Ingredients
Method
- Take dried squid strips in a bowl and pour warm water over them. Let them soak for one or two minutes and then rinse the strips. Put them on a paper towel and remove all the excess moisture. Then, cut the squid strips into bite-sized pieces using a pair of scissors.

- Add 2 tsp of cooking wine and 2 tsp of mayonnaise to the squid strips. Mix well and let them rest for about 5 minutes.

- Take 2 tbsp of cooking oil, 1 tbsp of soy sauce, 1 tbsp of sugar, 3 tsp of cooking wine, 1 tsp of minced garlic, and 3 tsp of gochujang in a bowl. Mix everything well.

- Heat a pan and add the seasoning sauce you just made to the pan. Cook it for a few minutes. Add the marinated squid strips to the sauce and stir-fry them for about 2-3 minutes.

- Once the squid strips are cooked, add 3 tsp of corn syrup and 1 tsp of sesame oil to the pan. Stir-fry squid strips for one more minute and then finish with some white sesame seeds.

FAQs
If you are interested in learning more about this recipe, you can check out the following Q&A section.
Is dried squid bad for health?
A little amount of dried squid won’t be bad for health as it is a protein-rich item. But, dried squid contains a high amount of cholesterol and sodium. So, you should eat this item moderately.
What does this dried squid recipe taste like?
Dried squid can be sweet, salty, or spicy, depending on how it is produced. Once cooked with the seasoning sauce and sweeteners, this dish will have a sweet and spicy flavor.
Can I put noodles in this dish?
Yes, you can. Once the squid strips are almost cooked, you can add cooked spaghetti noodles to the pan and stir-fry everything for a few minutes.
Is honey better than corn syrup for this recipe?
Of course. Honey is more nutritious than corn syrup. If possible, you should use honey as the sweetener in this dish. It will improve the nutritional value of the dried squid.
Conclusion
Dried squid is an affordable and popular protein in many Asian countries, especially for seafood lovers. Other than eating dried squid strips as is, you can make various umami dishes using this seafood. One of them is this dried squid recipe Chinese people love to eat.
I broke the recipe down into small steps so that you can follow along easily. You also learned some new tips that will help you make the dried squid recipe better. If you are planning to serve it to kids, consider the amount of gochujang as this squid dish can be spicy.