Ingredients
Sauce
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2 cups water
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¼ cup ketchup
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¼ cup plum sauce
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2 tablespoons rice vinegar
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3 (about .3-oz.) rolls haw flakes
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5 pieces dried hibiscus flowers
Calamari Toast
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8 ounces cleaned squid (tubes and tentacles), rinsed
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8 ounces peeled and deveined raw large shrimp, divided
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¼ cup potato starch
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1 large egg white
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2 tablespoons lard or chicken schmaltz
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1 ½ tablespoons granulated sugar
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1 tablespoon kosher salt, plus more to taste
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1 tablespoon minced peeled fresh ginger
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1 tablespoon minced garlic
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1 tablespoon Shaoxing wine
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1 tablespoon Thai shrimp paste in oil
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1 teaspoon ground white pepper, plusmore to taste
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1 teaspoon toasted sesame oil
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¼ cup minced fresh Chinese chives
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Vegetable oil, for frying
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10 (1-oz.) white bread slices, crusts removed
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½ cup plus 2 Tbsp. toasted sesame seeds
Directions
Make the sauce:
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Combine 2 cups water, ketchup, plum sauce, vinegar, hawflakes, and hibiscus flowers in a medium pot. Bring to a boil over medium. Boil, stirring occasionally, until haw flakes are completely dissolved, about 6 minutes. Reduce heat to medium; simmer, stirring occasionally, until runny but thick and reduced by one-third, about 25 minutes. Strain into a 2-cup measuring cup or small bowl; set aside until ready to use.
Make the calamari toast:
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Combine squid, 5 ounces shrimp (about 10 shrimp), potato starch, egg white, lard, sugar, salt, ginger, garlic, wine, shrimp paste, white pepper, and sesame oil in bowl of a food processor. Pulse just until mixture forms a barely smooth paste, about 10 pulses. Transfer squid mixture to a bowl. Cut remaining 3 ounces shrimp (about 5 shrimp) into small pieces. Fold shrimp pieces and minced chives into squid mixture. Refrigerate mixture until ready to use.
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Pour vegetable oil into a large skillet or Dutch oven to a depth of 1/4 inch. Heat over medium-high until oil reaches 350°F. Add a teaspoon of squid mixture to hot oil, and cook until a thermometer inserted in thickest portion of squid piece registers 145°F, about 2 minutes. Remove from oil using a spider. Taste and add additional salt or white pepper to squid mixture, if desired; repeat, if desired.
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Spread 1/4 cup squid mixture onto 1 side of each bread slice. Coat top of squid mixture on each slice with 1 tablespoon sesame seeds. Gently press sesame seeds into squid mixture; shake off excess. Cut each bread piece into 4 triangles. Working in 4 batches, place bread triangles, squid side down, in hot oil. Cook until golden and crispy, 3 to 4 minutes, flipping halfway through cook time. Transfer to a wire rack to drain; let cool about 5 minutes. Serve with sauce.
Photo by Victor Protasio / Food Styling by Chelsea Zimmer / Prop Styling by Lydia Pursell
Make ahead
Sauce can be made and refrigerated up to 1 day ahead.
Note
Find haw flakes, shrimp paste, and Chinese chives at Chinese markets or online at justasianfood.com.