Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons tamarind (from a pliable block)
• 1/4 cup warm water
• 2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
• 1 1/2 tablespoons Asian fish sauce (preferably nuoc mam)
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 2 teaspoons sugar
• Tabasco to taste if not drizzling sriracha sauce on salad
• 1 pound cleaned large squid
• 1/3 cup fresh basil leaves (preferably Thai basil), washed well and spun dry
• 1/3 cup fresh mint leaves, washed well and spun dry
• 1 cup thinly sliced red onion
• sriracha sauce (Asian chili sauce) to taste if desired

Instructions

1. In a bowl stir together tamarind and warm water, mashing tamarind gently, about 4 minutes and strain through a fine sieve into a bowl, pressing hard on solids. Add remaining sauce ingredients, stirring until sugar is dissolved.
2. Flower-cut squid (procedure follows) or cut squid sacs crosswise into 1/2-inch ring and halve flaps crosswise. Halve large tentacles. In a large saucepan of boiling salted water cook squid 45 seconds, or just until opaque, and drain in a colander. Rinse squid under cold water to stop cooking and drain well. Add squid to sauce, tossing well. Salad may be prepared up to this point 1 day ahead and chilled, covered. Bring salad to room temperature before proceeding with recipe.
3. Add herbs and onion to salad and toss well. Serve salad drizzled with sriracha sauce.
4. To Flower-Cut Squid: Remove flaps from body sacs and reserve. Cut each body sac lengthwise along seam to form a flat piece and rinse squid well. Spread squid inner side up on a work surface. Holding a sharp knife at a 45-degree angle to work surface, score squid diagonally every 1/8 to 1/4 inch in a cross-hatch pattern. Score flaps in same manner. Cut squid into 1-inch pieces.
5. Remove flaps from body sacs and reserve. Cut each body sac lengthwise along seam to form a flat piece and rinse squid well. Spread squid inner side up on a work surface. Holding a sharp knife at a 45-degree angle to work surface, score squid diagonally every 1/8 to 1/4 inch in a cross-hatch pattern. Score flaps in same manner. Cut squid into 1-inch pieces.