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Fish, South and Southeast Asian

Balado calamari with rice

Balado calamari with rice is a dish of calamari sauteed in a red chili and tomato sauce, served with white rice, for 4 people. It takes 35 minutes to make, easy difficulty, around €4.50 per person. The key to success is cooking the calamari very briefly, no more than three minutes, so they stay tender.

Tonight, balado calamari, sauteed in a red chili and tomato sauce like in Sumatra, with white rice.

Balado calamari with rice
Total time
35 min
Difficulty
Easy
Cost per person
€4.50
Calories per person
570 kcalcalculated by Kiloach, your weight coach
Season
Summer, Spring

The balado sauce sets the tone here, thick, slightly sweet, spiked with four fresh red chilies and rounded out with shallot and raw garlic. It simmers slowly in oil until it turns almost jammy, and that's what coats every ring of calamari. A squeeze of lime at the end cuts through the richness and heat, waking up the whole plate.

This is a good dish for an evening when you have a bit of time, since the sauce needs a slow simmer to reduce properly, though everything else moves fast. It works well for an adult dinner for people who like heat, less so for kids because of the chili. Mon Chou suggests making the sauce ahead if your schedule is tight, since the calamari itself only needs three minutes at the very end.

The ingredients

4 people

Fish counter

  • Cleaned calamari 600 g

Fruits and vegetables

  • Tomatoes 4
  • Fresh red chili 4
  • Shallots 3
  • Garlic 3 cloves
  • Lime 1

Pantry

  • Sugaroften in the pantry 1 tsp
  • Sunflower oiloften in the pantry 3 tbsp
  • Long grain riceoften in the pantry 300 g
  • Saltoften in the pantry 1 pinch

Allergens Mollusks

The step by step recipe

  1. Cut the calamari into rings and blend the chilies, tomatoes, shallots and garlic into a thick sauce.

    Remove the seeds from the chilies if you want to tone down the heat.

  2. Cook the sauce in the oil over medium heat with the sugar and salt until it reduces and turns oily. 15 min

    The sauce is ready when the oil shows at the edges.

  3. Cook the rice in salted water, drain it and keep it warm. 12 min

    Plain rice pairs perfectly with this spicy dish.

  4. Add the calamari to the sauce and cook over high heat. 3 min

    Don't go past three minutes, or they'll turn tough.

  5. Drizzle with lime juice and serve right away with the rice.

    The lime adds the brightness that contrasts with the sauce.

Our tips to get it right

  • Pick calamari that's already cleaned and pat it dry well, extra moisture keeps the sauce from clinging and makes the oil simmer instead of sear.
  • Blend the sauce until it's smooth and thick, that texture is what lets the oil visibly separate around the edges by the end of cooking.
  • Taste the sauce before adding the calamari and adjust salt or sugar then, once the calamari is in you can't really fix the seasoning without overcooking it.

The variations

  • Swap the calamari for peeled shrimp, cutting the cooking time down to just two minutes.
  • For a vegetarian version, swap the calamari for quartered button mushrooms seared in the same sauce.
  • For a faster meal, use precooked rice reheated in three minutes and make the sauce the day before, leaving only the calamari to cook.

What to serve it with

  • Plain white rice, already in the recipe
  • Sliced fresh cucumber for freshness
  • Unsweetened iced tea to tame the heat

Storage

The sauce keeps 2 to 3 days in the fridge in a sealed container, stored apart from the rice. Cooked calamari also keeps for 2 days but turns less tender when reheated, so it's best cooked right before serving. The dish doesn't freeze well because of the calamari's texture.

Questions about this dish

Can you use frozen calamari?

Yes, as long as you thaw it fully and pat it dry well before cooking. Excess water would keep the sauce from staying thick and oily.

How do you tone down the heat in balado sauce?

Remove the seeds and white membranes from the chilies before blending, that's where most of the heat lives. You can also use just two chilies for a milder version.

Can you make the balado sauce ahead of time?

Yes, it's actually recommended, the sauce keeps 2 to 3 days in the fridge and its flavor deepens. You'll just need to reheat the sauce and sear the calamari in it at the last minute.

Why does calamari turn rubbery?

It comes down to cooking time, calamari is tender when barely cooked or simmered a long time, but tough anywhere in between. Here we go with quick cooking, three minutes over high heat is enough.

How long does it take to make balado calamari with rice?

Count 35 min in total, prep and cooking included. The recipe is rated “easy”.

How many calories are in balado calamari with rice?

About 570 kcal per serving, for a recipe meant for 4 people. Calories are calculated by Kiloach, your weight coach, the app that partners with Mon Chou.

How much does balado calamari with rice cost?

About €4.50 per serving, or €18.00 for 4 people, based on average supermarket prices.

What allergens does this recipe contain?

This recipe contains mollusks. Always check the labels of the products you buy.

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