Monday’s Bread Bowl: Kimchi Calamari Stir-fry

A seafood delight for the senses

Have you ever tried a kimchi sauce seasoned stir-fry? The Korean sauce isn’t just for pickling Napa cabbage and similar chilled condiments. Calamari (or squid) offers an alternative to more popular stir-fried seafood, such as shrimp. This kimchi dish is best served hot. It’s VERY spicy, so be prepared for a real hit of heat. In fact, if your tolerance for peppers is low, you might want to skip this all together. If you want to tone down the spiciness, use less kimchi sauce (1/2 the bottle). Also, remember that the frozen calamari rings will release liquid in the process of cooking. Here is the recipe:

What you will need:

1 wooden spoon1 frying pan
2 tablespoons cooking oil
1 (6.70 oz) Momoya brand kimchi base (available at most Asian supermarkets)
12 oz frozen calamari rings
1 small onion, chopped
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 tablespoon cilantro, minced
Pinch of salt and pepper
Optional ingredients:
½ cup carrot, sliced
1 bell pepper, sliced

Cooking Directions:

Heat frying pan on medium-high heat. Add oil. Sprinkle in onion. After about 30 seconds, add garlic and keep stirring so the garlic doesn't burn but the onion turns translucent. Next, add calamari, salt, and pepper. Let the calamari cook, which will take several minutes. Next, pour in all kimchi base. Stir well. Finally, remove from heat and place on serving plate. Garnish with minced cilantro. Serve immediately with brown rice or over whole wheat pasta.

Helpful Hint: If you want to add the optional ingredients, throw them in a few minutes before the calamari in the cooking process. They will need the extra time to cook.