Ingredients

* 1 lb. squid or cuttlefish
* 2 green onions
* 2 Tbs. peanut oil
* 1 head finely chopped garlic (about 1/4 cup)
* 1 tsp. freshly ground white peppercorns
* 1/2 tsp. sea salt
* 1 Tbs. lime juice

Methods:

Clean the squid and cut into 1-inch rounds; leave tentacles whole. Drain well and squeeze gently to remove any water that may be trapped inside the rounds. (If using cuttlefish, score the steaks on the exterior surface with a diagonal criss-cross pattern without cutting through. Then cut into bite-size rectangles.) Let sit at room temperature at least 20 minutes before cooking. If the surface is still wet when you are ready to cook, pat dry with a clean towel.

Trim off and discard the root tip of the green onions and 1/2 of the green parts. Slice thin rounds from the white part to yield 1 Tbs. Chop coarsely. Cut the remainder of the stalks into 1 1/2-inch segments; then cut lengthwise into fine matchstick slivers.

Heat a wok until its surface is smoking hot. Add the oil and saute the garlic over medium heat until it is faintly golden. Increase heat to high and add the squid.Saute with frequent stirring until the squid begins to lose its translucence. Add the white pepper and salt.Continue to cook until the squid is just cooked through.

Toss in the chopped green onions and sprinkle with lime juice. Stir and quickly remove from heat onto a serving dish. Garnish top with the green onion slivers.