Muc Chien Gion (Vietnamese Crispy Squid with Lime)
Light, crisp fried squid rings with a peppery coating, served hot with lime wedges and a punchy dipping sauce.
Made with Nuoc cham (Vietnamese dipping sauce) and Sambal oelek (chilli sambal). Make a batch of the base first, then this takes minutes. Skip to the method
- Time25 mins
- LevelEasy
- Costabout £3.27 a head
Cost is worked out from Aldi and Tesco shelf prices in October 2026. Your shop and brands will differ.
Ingredients
Tick what you need to buy. It goes on your shopping list.
Method
- 1
Pat the squid very dry with kitchen paper. Wet squid spits and will not crisp.
- 2
Mix the cornflour, rice flour, salt and white pepper on a plate. Toss the squid in it in batches, shaking off the excess.
- 3
Heat the oil in a deep wide pan or wok to 180C, or until a cube of bread browns in 15 seconds. Never leave hot oil unattended.
- 4
Fry the squid in 3 batches for 60 to 90 seconds each, until pale gold and crisp. Squid turns tough if cooked longer. Lift out onto kitchen paper.
1 min 30 s - 5
Scatter with the spring onions and coriander while still hot.
- 6
Serve straight away with lime wedges and your ready made nuoc cham (see the base recipe) for dipping. Stir a little of your ready made sambal oelek into the dip if you like heat.
Tips
- Fry in small batches to keep the oil temperature up. Crowding makes soggy squid.
- Rice flour in the coating gives the crispest, lightest crust.
- Cool the oil completely before disposing of it, never down the sink.
Storing and freezing
Best eaten within minutes of frying. Keep leftovers in the fridge for up to 1 day and re-crisp in a {t220} oven for 8 minutes until steaming hot all the way through.
Questions
Can I use frozen squid?
Yes. Thaw fully in the fridge overnight and dry very thoroughly before coating.
Can I bake it instead?
You can, but the crust is less crisp. Spray with oil and bake at 220C for 10 to 12 minutes, turning once.
Is it gluten free?
Yes, with gluten free fish sauce in the nuoc cham. The coating is cornflour and rice flour. It is dairy free, egg free and nut free.
More made with nuoc cham (vietnamese dipping sauce)
Lau Bo (Vietnamese Beef Hot Pot)
GFDFEFSticky Massaman Chicken Wings with Lime Dipping Sauce
GFDFEFVietnamese Tofu Summer Rolls with Satay Dipping Sauce
DFEFHu Tieu Kho (Vietnamese Dry Noodles with Pork and Prawns)
NFHPSee every dish made with nuoc cham (vietnamese dipping sauce)
Double check before you cook. Recipes can contain mistakes. Any diet labels come from the ingredients as written in this recipe and are a guide, not a guarantee. Always check every ingredient and the packet label for allergens and cross contamination, and ask your doctor or dietitian what is right for you, especially with coeliac disease, diabetes or a serious allergy. This is not medical advice.