This the traditional Adobong Pusit which I avoided like the plague when I was young till I learned how to make it in a different style. Now I love ‘calamari’ aka squid specially Paella Negra. You see, I am not fond of sour foods in general. When I learned how to temper the sourness in foods, then I began to like and appreciate sour food.

Ingredients:

To cook the squids:

    • 500 grams fresh squid (pusit) – small sized ones
    • 1 whole bulb of garlic – crushed
    • 1/4 cup white vinegar (coconut or palm)
    • 2 tablespoons calamansi juice or lemon juice
    • 1/4 cup water
    • 2 teaspoons salt

To stew the squids:

    • 2 tablespoons cooking oil
    • 1/2 cup squid broth
    • 1 head garlic – crushed
    • 1/2 cup chopped onions
    • 1/2 cup fresh tomato – chopped
    • 1 lady finger chili (siling mahaba)

Procedure:

  1. Detach the head of squid from the body.
  2. In the tube part, clean the squid by removing the plastic looking spine; be careful with the ink sac that is found at the bottom part of the head. Gently remove the sac, which looks like silver beads and place in a tiny bowl; set aside.
  3. Remove any dead fish or other sea creatures found (you’ll be surprised to see what you find – like baby clams, baby crabs and the like) in the the cavity.
  4. Do not remove the fat, which looks like gelatine and do not remove the skin of the squid.
  5. Rinse with water, drain, cut into 1-inch circles and set aside.
  6. With the tentacles, remove the teeth, which looks like a small tube (it’s hard).
  7. If the tentacles are small, leave whole, if its big, slice lengthwise in half.
  8. Rinse and drain. Set aside together with the rings.
  9. In a non-corrosive sauce pan (glass, clay, non-stick, or ceramic), over low fire, put in the vinegar, water, calamansi juice, garlic and salt.
  10. Bring the mixture to a slow simmer then add the squid rings and tentacles and simmer for about 15 minutes.
  11. Remove from fire, drain out the squid, save liquid and set aside.
  12. Rinse non-corrosive sauce pan and place over low fire.
  13. Sauce garlic and onions in oil till the garlic is light golden tan.
  14. Add the saved ink sacs, and using the back side of wooden spoon, crush the ink sacs.
  15. Simmer for 5 minutes.
  16. Add the tomatoes and continue to simmer for 15 minutes.
  17. Add the broth from the simmered squid and the siling mahaba; simmer for another 5 minutes.
  18. Add the squid rings and tentacles and simmer for another 5 minutes.
  19. Taste and adjust by adding salt, pepper or patis.
  20. Serve with hot rice.