Squid Stuffed with Barley in Tomato Sauce

Recipe Tips

Karatsu is famous for its delicious squid. For this recipe, I used spear squid to create a slightly Western-style version of ikameshi (stuffed squid).
Using glutinous barley gives the dish a lighter texture, making it perfect even for summer.
If you find small squid at the market, be sure to try this recipe—they’re tender and full of flavor.
You can also substitute regular rice for the glutinous barley.
One key point is to simmer the squid gently over low heat. Cooking it over high heat will make the squid tough and chewy.

Ingredients (serves 2-3 people | Cooking Time:  Approx. 1 hours Spear squid (small, body about 12–15 cm)– 2~3 Glutinous barley – 50g (soaked in water for about 1 hour) Tomato – 200g (cut into 1 cm cubes) Garlic – 1/2 clove (minced) Celery – about 3 cm (minced) Onion – 1/2 (minced) Carrot – 1/2 (minced) Water – 300 ml White wine – 100 ml Salt– 1/2 teaspoon Olive oil - as needed Herbs of your choice -  as desired   　Pre-preparation： 　Remove the skin from the squid's body and remove the suckers from the tentacles.

Instructions

1. Clean the spear squid, separating the body from the tentacles.
   
   
   
2. Place the tentacles on the grill (outer lid) of the kakugama over low heat before it is fully heated. Cook gently until about halfway done.
   
   
   

3. Let the tentacles cool slightly, then cut into 5 mm pieces and mix with the soaked glutinous barley.
   
   

   
   

4. Stuff the squid bodies about 80% full with the barley mixture and secure the opening with a toothpick.
   
   
5. Heat olive oil and garlic in a frying pan. When fragrant, sauté the onion until cooked through, then remove from the pan. Sauté the carrot and celery separately.
   
   
6. Add the squid and white wine to the kakugama, and cook over medium heat until the alcohol evaporates. Then add water, tomato, salt, and the stuffed squid. Once it comes to a boil, cover with the lid and simmer over low heat for about 20 minutes.
   
   
7. Cut the cooked squid into bite-sized pieces, plate them, and garnish with your choice of herbs to finish.
   
   
   
   

★Key Points of Cooking with ANAORI kakugama When grilling the squid tentacles on the kakugama’s outer lid (grill), I was surprised at how they cooked without curling up and turned out soft and fluffy. Despite the simplicity, the doneness was just perfect—it was impressive. Squid can easily become tough and rubbery when partially cooked, as moisture is lost and the flesh tightens. However, by simmering it slowly over time, the fibers break down and become tender. With the kakugama, heat is transferred gently and evenly, allowing the ingredients to cook through without sudden protein coagulation—even in a short amount of time—resulting in a delicate, tender texture.

Pairing: Karatsu Local Sake

Chosing an extra-dry sake with a clean, crisp finish that complements the acidity of the tomato and the umami of the seafood.


Credit：
Recipe created by Miyuki Shigemura (@miyu_25)
Photo by Hayato Noge (@hayato_noge)