Red-Braised Stuffed Cuttlefish (Heart Swap)
A creative Chinese dish where tender cuttlefish is stuffed with a savory meat and shrimp filling, then braised in a rich soy glaze until glossy. The 'heart-swap' concept adds fun to the table, delivering two textures in every bite.
Ingredients
15 items- Cuttlefish (squid) 3 (about 600g)
- Ground pork 150g
- Fresh shrimp 50g
- Dried shiitake mushrooms 2
- Scallions 2 stalks
- Ginger 1 small piece
- Cooking wine 2 tbsp
- Light soy sauce 2 tbsp
- Dark soy sauce 1 tbsp
- Rock sugar 15g
- Salt 1/2 tsp
- White pepper a pinch
- Sesame oil 1 tsp
- Egg 1
- Cooking oil as needed
Nutrition
Steps （8 steps）
Prepare the cuttlefish: Peel off the outer skin, remove the innards, cartilage, and ink sac, especially the 'heart' (visceral mass). Keep the body and tentacles intact. Finely chop the tentacles for later use. Rinse the cavity thoroughly under running water and drain well. This step is key to the 'heart-swap' concept.
Make the filling: In a large bowl, combine ground pork, minced shrimp, chopped shiitake, and chopped tentacles. Add minced scallion, minced ginger, 1 tbsp cooking wine, 1 tbsp light soy sauce, 1/2 tsp salt, a pinch of white pepper, 1 tsp sesame oil, and 1 egg white. Stir vigorously in one direction for about 3 minutes until the mixture becomes sticky and cohesive, with noticeable resistance when stirring.
Stuff the cuttlefish: Using chopsticks or a small spoon, fill each cuttlefish body with the stuffing, filling it about 80% full to allow expansion during cooking. Seal the opening by threading a toothpick back and forth through the skin to prevent the filling from leaking out during cooking.
Pan-sear the cuttlefish: Heat a flat pan or wok over medium heat with 2 tbsp oil, coating the bottom evenly. When the oil reaches about 160°C (small bubbles form around a chopstick), place the stuffed cuttlefish in the pan. Sear over medium heat until both sides turn light golden brown, about 1.5 minutes per side. Gently press with a spatula to keep the shape flat.
Add aromatics and sauce: Add ginger slices and scallion sections, stir-fry briefly until fragrant. Pour 1 tbsp cooking wine along the edge of the pan to sizzle. Then add 2 tbsp light soy sauce, 1 tbsp dark soy sauce, 15g rock sugar, and about 200ml hot water (or chicken broth) — enough to reach halfway up the cuttlefish. Bring to a boil over high heat.
Simmer gently: After the sauce boils, reduce the heat to low, cover the pan, and let it simmer for 15 minutes. Open the lid once during simmering to turn the cuttlefish over, ensuring even coloring and seasoning. The cuttlefish is ready when a chopstick can easily pierce the thickest part.
Reduce the sauce: Remove the lid, turn the heat to high, and reduce the sauce. Continuously spoon the rich sauce over the cuttlefish until it becomes thick and glossy, clinging well to the surface. This takes about 3-4 minutes; be careful not to dry it out completely, leaving some sauce for dipping.
Slice and serve: Turn off the heat. Transfer the cuttlefish to a cutting board, let cool slightly, then slice into 1-cm thick rounds to reveal the stuffing. Arrange neatly on a plate, drizzle the remaining sauce over the slices, and garnish with chopped scallions or cilantro. Serve immediately.
Tips
1. Rub the cuttlefish with salt before peeling to remove the membrane more easily. 2. Always stir the filling in one direction to encourage the meat to bind. 3. Use multiple toothpick passes to secure the opening firmly, preventing bursting. 4. When reducing the sauce, keep the heat moderately high to avoid burning the sugar.
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