Stuffed Baby Squids in Tamarind Sauce (Mực Nhồi Thịt Sốt Me)

There's something so satisfying about turning a simple pack of frozen seafood into a dish that looks and tastes like something from a restaurant. That's exactly what happened today when I spotted a bag of baby squids in the freezer aisle. Nothing fancy, just your standard, affordable baby squids - but I had a plan. I was going to make Stuffed Baby Squids in Tamarind Sauce, and trust me, it was just as delicious as it sounds.

As soon as I got home, I knew exactly what to do. I had a bit of pork mince left in the fridge, and that became the base for the stuffing. The idea was to steam the stuffed squids until tender, and then coat everything in a sweet, sour and savoury tamarind sauce. I could already imagine how lovely it would taste with a bowl of warm, fluffy rice.

The result? Better than expected. The squid was tender but still had that crunchiness - not chewy at all. The stuffing inside was juicy and flavourful, with little pops of texture and colour from the vegetables. And when I poured that glossy, tangy tamarind sauce over the top - wow. It was the kind of meal that made everyone go quiet for a moment, just enjoying their food. Even better, the whole thing cost just £12 and easily served four.

Let me show you how to recreate this Stuffed Baby Squids in Tamarind Sauce at home.

Preparing the baby squids and flavourful stuffing

I used baby squids for this recipe, but if you only have larger ones, no problem - you can slice them into rounds after cooking and drizzle the sauce over.

First, defrost your squids, rinse them well under cold water and leave them to drain in a colander while you prepare the stuffing.

For the stuffing, I started with pork mince and built the flavours from there. I finely chopped onion, garlic, ginger and wood ear mushrooms (soaked in hot water and drained). A bit of carrot added colour and crunch. To season, I used oyster sauce, fish sauce, ground black pepper and a pinch of paprika for warmth. Everything needs to be chopped finely so the stuffing binds well together. I always mix everything by hand (gloved, of course) to make sure the flavours are well combined.

Here's a little tip to make stuffing easier and less messy: use a piping bag. Just cut the end to about half an inch and squeeze the stuffing gently into each squid. It makes the job much faster and cleaner.

I managed to stuff nearly 30 squids in a bout five minutes. Any leftover mixture? I always turn them into meatballs and steam them alongside the squids.

Once they're all stuffed, place the squids (and meatballs, if you made some) in a steamer. Steam for around 20 minutes until everything is cooked through and tender.

Making the sticky tamarind sauce

While the squids are steaming, I move on to the sauce. I used tamarind from a block, just mix a couple of tablespoons with 100ml of hot water, let it sit for 5 minutes, then strain it to remove the fibres. If you have a ready-made tamarind paste, that works too.

In a bowl, I mixed the tamarind with light brown sugar, fish sauce, a touch of passata and a bit of water. If you like heat, this is where you can add a dash of siracha or chilli flakes. I was cooking for kids this time, so I left it mild. Honestly, it's even better with that spicy kick.

To bring it all together, heat a tablespoon of olive oil in a saucepan and fry some finely chopped garlic and onion until golden and fragrant. Then pour in your tamarind mixture and bring it to a gentle boil. I thicken mine with a quick cornflour slurry - just a teaspoon of cornflour mixed with a tablespoon of water. Stir it in, let the sauce bubble up again and then take it off the heat.

Bring it all together

Once the squids are cooked, arrange them on a serving plate and pour the tamarind sauce all over. And there you have it - Stuffed Baby Squids in Tamarind Sauce ready to be enjoyed.

I really love this dish. The gingery pork filling pairs beautifully with the soft squid, and the tamarind sauce adds that perfect sweet-sour finish. It's one of those dishes that tastes like it took all day, but it actually comes together quite quickly once everything is prepared.

So next time you see a pack of baby squids in the frozen section, don't walk past it - turn it into something truly special with this Stuffed Baby Squids in Tamarind Sauce recipe. Serve it with a big bowl of rice and you've got yourself a proper Vietnamese-inspired meal that's both budget-friendly and packed with flavour.

Make sure to have a browse through the rest of my seafood recipes in this section - you'll find more tasty ideas like:

Salmon in tomato sauce

Vietnamese tapila fish noodle soup

Tamarind prawn recipe