Overview & Identification
Squid (Uroteuthis duvaucelii), known locally as Maiyya (میّا), belongs to the family Loliginidae, order Myopsida, class Cephalopoda and phylum Mollusca. Daily Catch offers a seasonal mix of Indian Squid, Long Barrel Squid and Sword Tip Squid, selecting whichever variety the Arabian Sea yields freshest rather than holding old stock. Squid has an elongated, torpedo-shaped body with large expressive eyes, eight arms and two longer tentacles, and shimmering iridescent skin that ranges from translucent white to light brown with speckled patterning. The edible portions are the mantle, arms and tentacles. These are highly adaptable animals, thriving in warm coastal waters over sandy and muddy seabeds as well as deeper offshore zones near Karachi, Gwadar and Pasni, and are known for swift swimming and nocturnal hunting. We source them by jigging and bottom trawling.
Flavor & Texture
Squid has a mild, sweet flavor with just a hint of oceanic brininess, carried by a firm, slightly chewy texture that turns beautifully tender when cooked correctly. Its near-neutral taste is its greatest strength: it acts as a canvas rather than a headline ingredient, which is why it appears in cuisines all over the world. Bold masala spicing, tangy marinades, or nothing more than garlic and butter all work equally well, and the flesh takes them on without losing its own character. The one rule worth respecting is timing — squid wants either very fast, hot cooking or a long slow braise, since the middle ground is what turns it rubbery.
Sizing, Cutting & Yield
Individual squid typically weigh between 50 and 150 g, depending on what the harbour lands on your delivery day. The minimum order is 2 kg and all prices are based on weight before cleaning, which matters more with squid than almost anything else we sell because the yields drop steeply. Whole and uncleaned gives you 100% of the weight you paid for. Skinless tubes yield approximately 40%, and skinless rings approximately 30%. In practice, a 2 kg order taken as rings delivers around 600 g of prepared squid. If you are cooking calamari for a crowd, order well above the weight you think you need.
Cooking & Health Benefits
Squid is genuinely easy to cook at home. Grill it with lemon, garlic and herbs for a smoky, tender bite; slice it into rings and fry it as crispy calamari; or drop it into a spicy masala curry where it soaks up the aromatics. The mantle can also be stuffed with rice, vegetables or cheese and oven-baked, and it works well in seafood soups and creamy pastas. Nutritionally it is rich in lean protein for muscle repair without added fat, with vitamins B12 and B6 supporting nerve function, brain health and energy metabolism. It supplies phosphorus, copper, zinc and selenium for immune support and antioxidant defence, plus Omega-3 fatty acids for heart health, while staying low in calories and carbohydrates.