How to tenderize squid for ika nigiri?

Question

I was at a Sushi restaurant in San Diego today and ordered some squid nigiri. Although it had been roughly scored with a knife, it was still quite chewy. I'm assuming it was yari-ika.

Is there a way to prepare squid for nigiri that's less rubbery?

Answer 1

Squid gets rubbery when overcooked and it happens really fast, so you should just blanch it for just a few seconds and immediately cool it in icy water. I used to score the squid on the outside (with a criss-cross pattern, not too deep) to prevent it from warping during the cooking process. It also adds a nice texture.