If I had to choose one type of seafood to have for the rest of my life, it would be squid.
My guess is most people are likely to gravitate towards premium items like sea urchin, oysters and lobsters. For me however, nothing beats the universe of umami embedded in the squid’s flesh and ink. It also doesn’t have the saltiness that is part and parcel of certain ocean-dwellers. Instead, a primal sweetness permeates. One that is showcased to stunning effect when cooked right. Ineptitude is punished hard though (quite literally) with rubberiness.
An all-time favourite of mine is the “Sotong Assam” by my mum. She marinates the squid in assam (tamarind) before stir-frying and it becomes something I can easily demolish a huge heap of, accompanied by a plate of rice.
On a recent trip to Bangkok, I chanced upon a stall in “Talad Rot Fai Market” selling grilled baby squid. Naturally, I pounced on it and got my order with a generous splash of very spicy and sour “nam prik noom” sauce. It was supremely tasty with the smokily-done squid.