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This Stuffed Tandoori Squid is a delightful and flavorful starter that combines spiced prawns, tilapia, and crab, creating a deliciously stuffed calamari. Served with a fresh mango salsa, this dish offers the perfect balance of savory and sweet. It’s a visually stunning and aromatic dish that’s perfect for impressing guests or enjoying a special meal at home.

Full Recipe:

Ingredients

For the Squid:

16 baby squid, cleaned and prepped
10 2/3 oz tilapia, roughly chopped
7 1/16 oz crab meat
7 1/16 oz king prawns, roughly chopped
3 1/2 oz green mango, finely chopped
1 tsp black mustard seeds
10 curry leaves
1/2 oz ginger, finely chopped
1/3 oz green chillies, finely chopped
1 tsp turmeric
1/4 oz red chilli powder
1/3 oz deggi mirch (Indian mixed chili powder)
1 3/4 oz coconut milk powder
Vegetable oil for cooking
Salt to taste

For the Marinade:

1 tsp black mustard seeds
1/2 oz ginger, finely chopped
1/3 oz green chillies, finely chopped
2 tsp turmeric
3 1/2 oz Greek yogurt

For the Mango Salsa:

1 3/4 oz mango chutney
3/4 oz coriander, finely chopped
3/4 oz mint, finely chopped
1/2 oz red chillies, finely chopped

Directions

Cook the Stuffing:
Heat vegetable oil in a pan over medium heat. Add mustard seeds and curry leaves. Once they crackle, add turmeric and cook for 1 minute. Add tilapia, prawns, and crab meat. Stir in red chili powder, deggi mirch, ginger, mango, and green chillies. Sprinkle with salt and cook for 8 minutes on low heat. Stir in coconut milk powder and cook for another 2 minutes. Set aside to cool.
Prepare the Marinade:
In the same pan, fry mustard seeds, ginger, green chillies, and turmeric in a bit of oil for 1 minute. Mix into Greek yogurt and add a pinch of salt.
Make the Mango Salsa:
In a bowl, mix together mango chutney, coriander, mint, and red chillies.
Stuff the Squid:
Once the stuffing has cooled, stuff the baby squid with the mixture, packing it tightly. Coat the stuffed squid with the marinade and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes.
Cook the Squid:
Thread the squid onto skewers. Preheat an oven as high as it will go, then cook the squid for 8 minutes until tender and lightly charred.
Serve:
Serve the stuffed squid with the mango salsa on the side.

Nutrients

Calories: 350 kcal (approx.)
Carbohydrates: 10g
Protein: 25g
Fat: 22g
Saturated Fat: 7g
Cholesterol: 120mg
Sodium: 400mg
Potassium: 500mg
Fiber: 3g
Sugar: 5g
Calcium: 50mg
Iron: 4mg

The Flavors Behind the Stuffing

The stuffing for this dish is a flavorful blend of seafood and aromatic spices. Tilapia, prawns, and crab meat come together to create a stuffing that is both delicate and satisfying. The seafood is spiced with traditional Indian ingredients such as turmeric, red chili powder, deggi mirch, and curry leaves, giving it a rich, vibrant flavor that’s both aromatic and slightly spicy.

Adding green mango to the stuffing brings a refreshing, slightly tangy flavor that cuts through the richness of the seafood, while coconut milk powder adds a creamy, subtle sweetness. The combination of these ingredients creates a filling that’s full of flavor, with the spices balancing out the natural sweetness of the seafood and the mango.

The Marinade: Enhancing the Flavors

The marinade for the stuffed squid is a mixture of Greek yogurt, turmeric, mustard seeds, ginger, and green chilies. This marinade acts as a tenderizer for the squid while adding additional layers of flavor. The Greek yogurt helps to mellow out the spices, while the mustard seeds, turmeric, and ginger contribute warmth and earthiness to the dish.

The combination of these ingredients helps infuse the squid with an aromatic flavor while also creating a beautiful golden color on the outside when cooked. It also helps to hold the stuffing in place, making sure the seafood mixture stays inside the squid during cooking.

How to Cook the Squid to Perfection

Cooking squid can sometimes be tricky, but when done right, it becomes tender and flavorful. In this recipe, the squid is threaded onto skewers, which ensures even cooking and makes it easy to handle during the high-heat cooking process. The squid is cooked at a high temperature in the oven, allowing it to cook quickly while achieving a slight char on the outside. This method ensures that the squid remains tender and doesn’t become rubbery.

The stuffing, already cooked and spiced, is kept intact and infuses the squid with flavor as it cooks, creating a delicious contrast between the tender squid and the rich, spiced seafood stuffing. The high-heat cooking also helps develop a slight caramelization on the squid, which adds a nice texture and flavor to the dish.

Mango Salsa: A Perfect Sweet and Spicy Pairing

The mango salsa served alongside the stuffed squid is the perfect complement to the savory, spicy flavors of the dish. The sweetness of the mango chutney provides a refreshing contrast to the heat from the green chilies, while the coriander and mint add freshness and brightness to the dish. The red chilies give the salsa a slight kick, balancing the sweetness of the mango and providing an extra layer of flavor.

This fresh and tangy salsa helps cut through the richness of the squid and stuffing, offering a clean, vibrant contrast that enhances the overall flavor profile. It’s an essential component that makes this dish feel light and fresh despite the richness of the seafood and spices.

Serving Suggestions for Stuffed Tandoori Squid

Stuffed Tandoori Squid is a visually stunning dish that is perfect for serving as an appetizer or a side. It can be served as part of a larger Indian-inspired meal, or it can stand alone as a luxurious starter. Here are some ideas on how to serve it:

With Rice: Serve the stuffed squid with a side of fragrant basmati rice or even a simple pilaf. The rice helps to soak up the delicious spices and balances the richness of the squid and seafood stuffing.
With Naan: A side of warm, fluffy naan bread would be perfect for dipping into the mango salsa or to soak up the extra stuffing and juices. It’s a simple addition that enhances the meal.
With a Light Salad: To balance the richness of the dish, consider serving it with a light, refreshing salad. A cucumber and yogurt salad with a dash of lemon juice or a mixed greens salad with a light vinaigrette would pair wonderfully.
On a Platter for Sharing: Since this dish is visually striking, you can serve it family-style on a large platter for guests to share. This is perfect for dinner parties, where everyone can dig in and enjoy the flavors together.

Nutritional Information

Stuffed Tandoori Squid is a nutrient-packed dish, offering a good balance of protein, fat, and carbohydrates. Each serving contains approximately 350 calories, making it a relatively light option that is still satisfying. The dish provides 25g of protein, thanks to the seafood stuffing, and 22g of fat, with much of the fat coming from the coconut milk powder and butter used in the recipe. The squid itself is low in fat and high in protein, making it a great choice for a healthy meal.

The dish is also a good source of iron (4mg) and calcium (50mg), thanks to the seafood and spices. While it contains 10g of carbohydrates, it is still a relatively low-carb dish, making it a good option for those following a keto or low-carb diet. The addition of mango chutney and fresh herbs provides a dose of vitamin C and adds a refreshing contrast to the richness of the squid.

Conclusion

Stuffed Tandoori Squid is a truly special dish that combines bold, aromatic Indian spices with fresh seafood and a tangy mango salsa. It’s the perfect balance of savory and sweet, with tender squid and a flavorful seafood stuffing. The dish is visually stunning, easy to prepare, and sure to impress your guests with its depth of flavor and vibrant colors. Whether you’re serving it for a special occasion or just want to treat yourself to a gourmet meal at home, Stuffed Tandoori Squid is a showstopper that delivers on both taste and presentation.