Salt & pepper squid — crisp squid coated in a peppery Szechuan flour, deep-fried golden, and served with a tangy cucumber dipping sauce, spring onion and chilli. A moreish starter.
- 85g Corn Flour
- 85g Plain Flour
- 2 tsp Black Pepper
- 2 tsp Szechuan Peppercorns
- For frying Sunflower Oil
- 400g Squid
- Sliced Spring Onions
- Sliced Green Chilli
- 1 chopped Red Chilli
- 1/2 Cucumber
- 1 chopped Red Onions
- 100 ml Rice Vinegar
- 1 tablespoon Caster Sugar
- 2 tsp Fish Sauce
Video
Preparation
- To make the dipping sauce, mix all the ingredients in a small bowl until the sugar has dissolved, then set aside. Mix the cornflour and plain flour with both peppers and 2 tsp sea salt in a large bowl and set aside. Line a tray with kitchen paper and have more salt ready for sprinkling.
- Heat about 7cm of oil to 180C in a deep fryer, wok or deep pan — if you don't have a thermometer, a cube of bread should brown in 20 seconds. Coat the squid well with the flour mix and fry in batches for about 2 minutes each, or until crisp. Lift out with a slotted spoon, drain on the kitchen paper, and sprinkle with a little more salt. Serve scattered with the spring onion and chilli, with the dipping sauce on the side.
