Description
The signature menu of Shilin Night Market. Fresh, thick cuttlefish (Huazhi) and bamboo shoots rapid-fried on high heat, bound in an intensely thick, sweet-and-sour soup flavored with garlic, black vinegar, and sugar.
Restaurants serving Stir-fried Cuttlefish Thick Soup
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We are researching restaurants that serve this dish.
On this site you can check dictionary details and, later, places to buy or eat related items.
The Recipe section below is a general reference, not a recipe from the listed shops.
Recipe
Ingredients
- Thick cuttlefish(Huazhi)
- Bamboo shoots
- Garlic
- Black vinegar(Wu Cu)
- Sugar
- Potato starch
Instructions
- [Authentic Recipe]
- Peel thick cuttlefish (called Huazhi in Taiwan), score the surface in a crisscross pattern (pinecone cut), and cut into bite-sized pieces.
- Slice bamboo shoots and carrots.
- Heat oil in a wok, sauté massive 'grated garlic' and chilies to explode the aroma.
- [Sheng Chao Step] Toss the raw (unboiled) cuttlefish and veg into the wok, rapid-fry on high. Once the cuts open and curl, immediately proceed (overcooking toughens it).
- Pour pork (or bonito) broth, season quite sweet and sour with sugar, soy sauce, and plenty of 'black vinegar (Wu Cu)'.
- Add massive potato starch slurry to create an intense 'thickness (Geng)' heavy enough to weigh down the ladle.
- Plate, and drizzle an extra dash of black vinegar to finish.
Learn more Spice, substitutes, tips
Key spices
Garlic punch and Black vinegar fruitiness
Substitutes at Japanese supermarkets
Frozen scored squid, Boiled bamboo shoots
Pairing
Lu Rou Fan or Taiwanese Rice Balls
Trivia
[For Everyone] Go to the basement food court of Taiwan's largest 'Shilin Night Market', and this sign is everywhere. 'Sheng Chao' is a Chinese technique of rapid-frying raw unboiled ingredients on high heat to seal in umami. The squid bounce and black vinegar acidity match perfectly.
Eating tips & etiquette
[Unique Eating] Enjoy the 'crisp, crunchy' texture of the thick cuttlefish and bamboo shoots on a spoon, blowing on the piping hot sweet-and-sour thick soup as you drink!
Allergen
Squid, Soy, Wheat