Grilled squid served with a lime and pepper dipping sauce.
A coastal-village dish from Sihanoukville and Kep on Cambodia's southern coast, where Kampot pepper is grown and squid boats land at dawn. The pepper-lime-salt dip ("tuk meric") is regional shorthand for any grilled seafood there. Modern in popularity — squid eating spread inland only after road improvements in the 1990s linked the coast to Phnom Penh.
Coastal Sihanoukville and Kep specialty — squid boats land at dawn near the Kampot pepper farms. Cross-hatch scoring is heat physics: lets charcoal penetrate evenly, stops the body curling tight. Total grill time, 90 seconds to two minutes max.
Whole squid, scored on the body, charcoal-grilled until the flesh tightens and the edges curl black. Served on a wooden board with a dipping bowl of crushed Kampot pepper, salt, and lime juice — same dip as Lok Lak. Tear and dunk; the squid should still be tender at the center, just-set. A few seconds too long and it goes to rubber.
Scoring the body in a crosshatch is the technique: it lets heat penetrate evenly and keeps the squid from curling into a tight tube. Total grill time on direct charcoal is 90 seconds to two minutes, max — squid moves from raw to overcooked in roughly 30 seconds. Test by pressing: just-springy is done, fully firm is gone.
Variations
Kep crab market stalls grill it whole over charcoal; Sihanoukville beach shacks butterfly and skewer it; Phnom Penh restaurants serve it with ginger-lime instead of Kampot pepper dip; Battambang inland versions use frozen squid and lose the snap.
On the Palate
Where Ang Dtray-Meuk sits in the Cambodian flavor cloud
Ingredients
How it's made
5 steps · 18 min active + 15 min waiting
- 15 min
Rinse the squid under cold running water, ensuring any sand or debris is removed. Pat dry with a clean kitchen towel to ensure a good sear later.
- 23 min
In a large bowl, combine the key lime juice, freshly cracked pepper, minced garlic, and finely chopped chili pepper. Stir until the mixture is well combined and aromatic.
- 33 min
Add the cleaned squid to the marinade, ensuring each piece is thoroughly coated. Let it sit for 15 minutes to absorb the flavors.
Watch outEnsure the squid is evenly coated to avoid uneven flavor distribution.
- 45 min
Heat a grill pan over medium-high heat until it begins to smoke slightly. Place the marinated squid on the pan, grilling each side for about 2 minutes until they are opaque and have grill marks.
Watch outAvoid overcooking the squid; it should be tender, not rubbery.
- 52 min
Squeeze fresh lemon juice over the grilled squid just before serving to enhance the flavor. Serve immediately while hot.
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