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Fish, East Asian

Korean style rice stuffed squid

Korean style rice stuffed squid is made of squid tubes filled with sticky rice, tofu and finely chopped vegetables, steamed then sliced into rounds. This recipe serves 4, takes 1 hour, is rated medium difficulty, and costs €5.00 per serving. The key is filling the tubes only two thirds full, so the rice can swell during cooking without bursting the squid.

Squid tubes stuffed with sticky rice, vegetables and tofu, steamed then sliced into rounds, this is a Korean style weekend dish.

Korean style rice stuffed squid
Total time
1 h
Difficulty
Medium
Cost per person
€5.00
Calories per person
550 kcalcalculated by Kiloach, your weight coach
Season
Fall, Winter

This dish is nothing like the fried or grilled squid you usually see. Here the squid is gently steamed, which keeps the flesh tender while the inside fills up with sticky rice, tofu and finely chopped vegetables. Once sliced into rounds, each piece reveals a colorful filling of carrot, zucchini and onion bound with rice, carrying that familiar sesame and soy sauce aroma of Korean cooking.

It's a weekend recipe, the kind you make when you're not in a hurry. Tofu gives the filling a softer character than a typical meat stuffing, and working with whole squid tubes takes a bit of patience to fill and close properly. It works well for a dinner with adults or as a change from the usual Sunday fish dish, though it's a trickier one to get kids excited about, given the sticky rice and whole squid.

The ingredients

4 people

Fish counter

  • medium whole squid 8

Pantry

  • sticky or round riceoften in the pantry 200 g
  • soy sauceoften in the pantry 3 tbsp
  • sesame oiloften in the pantry 1 tbsp
  • rice vinegaroften in the pantry 1 tbsp
  • neutral oiloften in the pantry 1 tbsp
  • saltoften in the pantry 1 pinch

Dairy

  • firm tofu 100 g

Fruits and vegetables

  • carrot 1
  • zucchini 1
  • onion 1
  • garlic 2 cloves

Allergens Mollusks, Soy, Gluten, Sesame

The step by step recipe

  1. Rinse the rice and soak it for one hour in cold water, then drain.

    If you don't have sticky rice, round risotto style rice works fine.

  2. Clean the squid, finely chop the tentacles, carrot, zucchini, onion and garlic.

    Keep the tubes intact, they're the wrapper.

  3. Sauté the vegetables and tentacles in oil, then add the mashed tofu, rice, a spoonful of soy sauce and the sesame oil. 8 min

    Let the filling cool, it won't cook the squid beforehand.

  4. Fill the tubes two thirds full and close them with a toothpick.

    Use a small teaspoon, it makes filling easier.

  5. Steam the squid covered. 35 min

    Poke them with a toothpick, they're done when no liquid runs out.

  6. Let them cool for five minutes, slice into rounds and serve with the remaining soy sauce mixed with vinegar. 5 min

    Use a sharp knife for clean, even rounds.

Our tips to get it right

  • Soak the rice for the full hour in cold water, otherwise it stays undercooked even after the squid finishes steaming.
  • Mash the tofu with a fork rather than chopping it, it blends more evenly into the rice and vegetables.
  • Check that the toothpicks are holding the tubes closed before steaming, otherwise the filling can leak out during cooking.

The variations

  • Swap the tofu for chopped peeled shrimp for a more seafood forward filling.
  • For a vegetarian version, replace the squid with blanched napa cabbage leaves rolled around the same filling.
  • For a quicker version, cut the squid tubes in half lengthwise before stuffing, they'll steam in 15 minutes instead of 35.

What to serve it with

  • Steamed rice or kimchi for a Korean touch
  • A light miso broth to start
  • Green tea or lemon water with the meal

Storage

Keep the stuffed squid up to 2 days in the refrigerator in an airtight container. They freeze well once cooked and cooled, for up to a month. Reheat the sliced rounds by steaming or a few minutes in a skillet, without drying them out.

Questions about this dish

Can you make the filling ahead of time?

Yes, make the rice, tofu and vegetable filling a day ahead and keep it refrigerated. Just stuff the squid right before steaming.

What rice can you use instead of sticky rice?

Round risotto style rice works well, it has a similar texture once soaked and cooked. Avoid long grain rice, it stays too dry in the filling.

Can you freeze the stuffed squid raw?

It's better to steam them first before freezing, since raw sticky rice filling doesn't freeze well. Thaw in the refrigerator before reheating.

How do you know when the squid is fully cooked?

Poke the tubes with a toothpick partway through steaming. If no liquid runs out, both the squid and the filling are cooked through.

How long does it take to make Korean style rice stuffed squid?

Count 1 h in total, prep and cooking included. The recipe is rated “medium”.

How many calories are in Korean style rice stuffed squid?

About 550 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 Korean style rice stuffed squid cost?

About €5.00 per serving, or €20.00 for 4 people, based on average supermarket prices.

What allergens does this recipe contain?

This recipe contains mollusks, soy, gluten, sesame. Always check the labels of the products you buy.

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