Prawn and Chicken Stuffed Calamari - Thai Style

This stunning dish comes from Melbourne's wonderful Royal Thai restaurant Palm Sugar and was published in the Age newspaper some time ago. It looks impressive and is highlighted by the tasty chilli capsicum sauce.

• Ready In: 1 hr 30 mins
• Serves: 4-6

Ingredients

• 1  calamari, tube cleaned make sure the tube isn't too thick and aim for one that has consistent thickness (note I recently used 6 baby calamari instead of 1 big tube and that worked really well)
• 1⁄2 cup  minced  prawns
• 1⁄2 cup  minced chicken
• 1  garlic clove, finely chopped
• 1  teaspoon fish sauce (optional)
•  frypowder (available from Asian groceries)
• 1⁄4 cup  oil, enough to shallow fry
• 1⁄2 red capsicum, finely diced
• 1  garlic clove, finely chopped
• 2  tablespoons fish sauce
• 2  tablespoons vinegar
• 6  tablespoons sugar
• 2  fresh chili peppers, finely sliced to taste
• 1⁄4 cup coriander leaves (to garnish)

Directions

1. Calamari:
2. Mix the prawn chicken and garlic together. Stuff the calamari with the mixture until full, but taking care not to ‘over-stuff’ as the calamari will expand when cooked. Secure the open end of the calamari with toothpick/s.
3. In a steamer, steam the calamari for about 25- 30 minutes ( note: if using the baby calamari tubes, 10 minutes is sufficient). Use this opportunity to make sauce.
4. When the steaming is completed, roll the calamari tube in a shallow dish containing the fry powder. Once coated, remove the calamari tube and add water to the fry powder to make a paste as per the packets instructions. (note – it works best if thickish – if too runny, the paste will not adhere to the tube well).
5. Heat oil is a wok so that it is just starting to smoke. Add calamari tube and fry quickly on all sides – the coating should be a light, crisp batter.
6. Remove calamari from oil, and cut into slices/discs. Place the discs on a plate, pour/drizzle sauce over the top and sprinkle coriander leaves over the dish.
7. Sauce: *(this is also a good dipping sauce for rice paper rolls, wontons etc).
8. Add oil to small saucepan (note: I use spray oil) and sauté capsicum, garlic and chilli until the capsicum is soft.
9. Add the fish sauce, vinegar and sugar to the saucepan. Cook until sauce starts to thicken, being careful not to burn.