Hot Butter Cuttlefish: A Spicy Appetizer For Seafood Lovers

Portion size – 5 – 6 

Prep time – 15 mins                   Cooking time –  25 minutes        

Hot butter cuttlefish is a popular Sri Lankan seafood dish that is known for its spicy and buttery taste. It’s a close cousin to dishes like calamari or salt and pepper squid which is perfect for seafood lovers and those who enjoy spicy food. Despite its name, it does not contain butter in the traditional sense; instead, it’s typically prepared with a mixture of butter, along with various spices and seasonings, to create a rich and flavorful sauce.

The main ingredient in hot butter cuttlefish is cuttlefish which is typically sliced into thin strips, rings, or cubes and then coated in seasoned flour before being deep-fried until crispy. Once fried, the cuttlefish is usually set aside. The sauce for hot butter cuttlefish is made by sautéing ingredients like garlic, ginger, red chilies, and chili flakes in butter. The fried cuttlefish is then tossed in this sauce, allowing it to absorb the flavors and become coated in the spicy mixture.

Hot butter cuttlefish is often mixed with onion, tomato, capsicum, and spring onion for added freshness and texture. This restaurant-style dish is typically served as an appetizer or a side dish served with fried rice or noodles and a side of chili paste for extra kick. 

This version of hot butter cuttlefish is gluten-free and made without soy or any other extra sauces, therefore a healthier version to try out. 

What do you need: 

• 2 cups cuttlefish, cleaned, washed, and cut into bite-size (1×1 in2) 
• 1/2 teaspoon black pepper powder 
• 1 1/4 teaspoons fine sea salt, divided 
• 1 egg white, large and beaten 
• 1/2 cup corn flour 
• 1/2 teaspoon turmeric powder 
• 1/2 cup coconut oil
• 2 tablespoons butter, unsalted 
• 1 tablespoon garlic, crushed 
• 1 tablespoon ginger, crushed 
• 2 tablespoons dried red chillies, sliced
• 1 tablespoon chilli flakes 
• 3/4 cup red onion, cut into cubes 
• 3/4 cup tomato, cut into cubes 
• 3/4 cup capsicum, cut into cubes 
• 1/2 cup spring onion, cut into 1 – 2 inch size 
• 1/2 tablespoon sugar, white or brown 

Let’s make it: 

1. Add 1/2 teaspoon salt and pepper to cuttlefish and marinate for 10 minutes. 
2. In the meantime, cut and prepare the other ingredients. 
3. Add the egg white to the cuttlefish and mix with a fork until it combines well. 
4. Add corn flour and turmeric in a separate bowl and mix together. 
5. Coat the cuttlefish in flour one by one. 
6. Add oil to a dry frying pan and heat for 1 – 2 minutes. 
7. When it’s ready to fry, add cuttlefish one by one and deep fry on medium-high for golden brown. 
8. Add butter in a separate pan and let it melt. 
9. Add garlic and ginger and sauce on low-medium for 1 minute.
10. When it’s golden brown, add chili slices and chili flakes and mix them together. 
11. Add fried cuttlefish in the chili butter sauce and give it a good mix. 
12. Add onion, tomato, capsicum, spring onion, and sugar, and saute for 3 – 4 minutes. 
13. At this point, add 3/4 teaspoon salt and saute for 3 – 4 minutes. 
14. Serve this delicious cuttlefish dish with rice or noodles.  

Tips for you: 

• Feel free to use any other cooking oil that has a high smoke point (which is suitable for deep-frying). 
• Adjust the level of spiciness to your preference by adding more or fewer chili flakes. 
• Make sure to give it a mix in between while sautéing. This will prevent the burning of spices. 

Make ahead info: 

• Clean, cut, and pat dry the cuttlefish.