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Fresh, sweet, and tender: lightly salted dried squid

◎English translation: Wendy Wei Chang

　　Taiwan is a leading country in the global deep-water (or pelagic) fishing industry. Taiwanese fishing vessels harvest seafood in the Pacific, Atlantic, and Indian oceans. The past two years have seen an abundance of Argentine shortfin squid in the Southwest Atlantic near the Falkland Islands, and Taiwanese boats have been harvesting a lot of squid. The increase in supply has made squid more affordable. As a result, food companies have been motivated to develop various squid products. Ocean Harmony Co., Ltd. seized the opportunity two years ago, and introduced its inventive lightly salted dried squid to the market. This product has since enjoyed a great deal of popularity.

　　Mr. Chen Hsuan-hsi, chairman of Ocean Harmony Co., Ltd. says he loved eating lightly salted dried squid when he was living in Japan, and this was an inspiration to develop a similar product. Six years ago, Ocean Harmony received training from Japan in order to produce sakura shrimp sashimi for export to that country. Utilizing its techniques, equipment, and environment, the company then created a lightly salted dried squid product. Production costs are low because squid is now inexpensive. As a result, the market price of lightly salted dried squid is acceptable to the public.

　　Mr. Chen explains that Ocean Harmony's techniques are different to the normal sun-drying techniques used near harbors. The manufacturing environment is crucial, and the company makes its lightly salted dried squid at an indoor temperature of 15 to 17 degrees Celsius. Every step in the process requires a clean environment. Before producing the lightly salted dried squid, the squid needs to be washed, cut, and cleaned thoroughly. In order to preserve the natural magnesium and calcium in the squid, the squid needs to be soaked in reverse osmosis water plus water with 3% salt, which is similar to seawater. Finally, the squid is hung in a dry room.

　　Building a dry room requires careful attention to detail. Harmony Ocean recreated the frozen environment in Hokkaido, Japan, so the manufacturing environment is similar to one in Hokkaido. The temperature in the dry room is 0 degrees Celsius. The squid is dehydrated when it is above freezing point to maintain freshness and reduce any fishy taste. The amount of time a squid stays in the dry room is key when producing lightly salted dried squid. The low temperature, dehumidified environment, and constant fan-blowing remove any liquid inside the squid. The squid produces a natural enzyme which tenderizes the flesh, so there is no need to use any artificial additive. The fresh flavor is also locked in the flesh.

　　The process of producing the lightly salted dried squid is extremely hygienic. The squid can be cooked without cleaning. Since the squid is already dehydrated, the cooking time is also reduced. Many restaurants like Ocean harmony's squid, and Mr. Chen says that even people not good at cooking can make great dishes using his company's product. One can simply roast the squid in an oven. When it comes out, the squid's skin is crispy while the flesh is still moist and tender. You can taste the sweetness and freshness of the squid.

　　Ocean Harmony offers a delivery service for their squid product. It is not sold through stores because the quality might be compromised if the squid stays out of a freezer for more than 30 minutes. The delivery service ensures the squid's excellent quality. 

鮮、甜、軟嫩的滋味 魷魚一夜干

◎文／侯雅婷　

　　台灣是全球重要的遠洋漁業國家之一，台灣遠洋漁船長期耕耘全球三大洋重要漁場，近2年，西南大西洋海域福克蘭群島阿根廷魷的好漁況，台灣魷釣船大豐收，滿載的阿根廷魷促使魷魚價格格外優惠，帶動市場投入開發魷魚加工品的意願。
海和有限公司2年前把握遠洋魷魚豐收的契機，開發「魷魚一夜干」上市！深受市場好評。

　　海和有限公司董事長陳玄錫談起，他居住日本時，非常喜愛品嚐一夜干，促成他日後投入一夜干水產品研發。6年前 ，海和公司為了製作外銷日本的生食櫻花蝦，由日方技術指導 ，海和公司在人員、設備和環境一應俱全的條件，順勢投入研發魷魚一夜干，適逢魷魚豐收、價格下降之際，平衡製作成本高的魷魚一夜干，產品售價也能被市場接受。

　　有別於港邊常見日曬的方式製作一夜干，陳玄錫說，製作環境是最重要的，海和公司於室內15至17度的作業環境製作一夜干，每個環節都力求作業環境衛生。魷魚一夜干前置作業包括清洗、切割、取出內臟，使用與海水成份相仿的RO水加入3%的鹽水浸泡，保持魷魚的鎂和鈣，再吊掛起一整尾魷魚，送到風乾室。

　　打造風乾室設備可是大有學問，汲取日本北海道製作一夜干的環境，模擬北海道冰天雪地的作業環境，因此風乾室溫度為0度，在不結冰的狀態將水份抽出，維持魷魚鮮度，同時去除腥味。風乾時間的掌控是製作一夜干的關鍵，利用低溫、無濕氣的環境，持續吹風的過程，去除魷魚的濕氣和水份，魷魚本身自然產生酵素，達到熟成、發酵的作用 ，使魷魚肉質變軟，而不使用任何添加劑，且魷魚風味更加濃縮的鎖在魷魚肉裏。

　　魷魚一夜干製作過程衛生，可直接烹飪，因魷魚一夜干已去除水分，可縮短烹飪時間，因此海和的魷魚一夜干水產品深受許多餐廳青睞。陳玄錫強調，魷魚一夜干即便是不擅烹飪的消費者都能立刻上手，置於烤箱烘烤，魷魚外皮乾乾的，內層魷魚肉質仍保持濕潤、軟嫩肥美的口感，更嚐得到魷魚的鮮、甜！

　　想品嚐海和的「魷魚一夜干」僅能宅配購得，因考量水產品離開冷凍庫30分鐘後品質可能產生變化，因此未在門市設點販售，僅提供宅配服務，確保魷魚一夜干的好品質。