Frost's Descent · Lunch · Balanced
Stir-fried squid with gai lan on rice
Springy squid and sweet, crisp gai lan, stir-fried over high heat — lunch at home on the table in 20 minutes.
- 25 min
- Serves 2
- Stir-fry
- Easy
NeutralNourishes yin & bloodClears heat
Why it suits you: Balanced types just need a well-rounded plate in step with the season. Gai lan is at its sweetest at Frost's Descent, and squid is high in protein and low in fat — a quick, light stir-fry that makes a balanced meal with rice.
Method
Prep 15 min · Cook 10 min- 1Clean the squid and peel off the skin. Score the inside in a criss-cross pattern, cut into pieces and toss with the Shaoxing wine for 5 minutes.
- 2Cut the gai lan into lengths, peeling tough skin off thick stems. Blanch the squid in boiling water with a drop of oil for 10 seconds and drain well.
- 3Heat the oil in a wok over high heat and fry the ginger and garlic until fragrant. Stir-fry the gai lan stems for 2 minutes with a splash of water, then add the leaves.
- 4Add the squid with the soy sauce, sugar and cornflour mixed with a little water. Toss for 30 seconds until the squid curls, then serve with rice.
Chef's tips
- Blanch and fry the squid quickly — take it off the heat as soon as it curls, or it turns rubbery.
The TCM view
Squid is sweet, salty and neutral and nourishes yin and blood; gai lan is sweet, pungent and cool, clearing heat and easing the bowels; ginger and garlic are pungent and warm, removing fishiness and offsetting the gai lan's coolness. Balanced, savoury and fresh.
