There’s a new, exciting pasta dish in town and it is the Kuro Squid Ink Pasta dish. Squid Ink in pasta has recently created a buzz amongst avid food lovers. At first sight, you might be taken aback by the appearance of the black pasta or sauce.
However, once you taste the dish, you’ll be amazed. Those who have tried it before will say that the squid ink gives a slight hint of saltiness and completes the entire meal.
What is Kuro Squid Ink
The word Kuro means black in Japanese, and it is now commonly used in gastronomy to describe dishes that are black, like the black burger bun or in this case, the black pasta noodle.
To achieve the black colour in food, chefs would inject the black squid ink into their invention as squid ink is a safe food additive. It does contain many health benefits, and it doesn’t have any side effect unless you are allergic to seafood or squid ink of course.
The History of Squid Ink in Food
There was no exact pin-point to when human started using squid ink in food, but it is one of the most popular food additives in Mediterranean and Japanese dishes. Chefs from around the world have been using squid ink to flavour rice, risotto, pasta and even in sauces such as the Japanese black curry or the black cream sauce pasta from Italy.
Most fishmongers will store about an ounce of squid ink in their shop or if you are nowhere close to the sea, you can easily purchase them online in any Japanese, Italian or Spanish speciality shops.
The health benefits of Kuro Squid Ink
One of the reasons why squid ink is so prevalent in Japanese and Mediterranean cuisine is probably the fact that it has a lot of health benefits. The ink itself contains many compounds like amino acids, enzymes, taurine and glutamate amongst others. It also has a high content of melanin which gives the ink its black colour.
On top of that, it is also believed that the squid ink is rich in antioxidants properties which are useful in fighting free radicals – the culprit responsible for ageing.
Despite the studies being in the early stages, it is no wonder that squid ink has a long history of being used in medicine for centuries and in food recipes.
Where to get Kuro Squid Ink pasta in Malaysia
You don’t have to go to as far as Japan or Italy to enjoy a good plate of squid ink pasta. Head over to Tujo, Franco located in Nu Sentral or have it delivered to you via the foodpanda app. They also have the Squid Ink rice for those who want a gluten-free option instead. Visit foodpanda to learn more about western dishes around you.