Salt and pepper squid
Squid cooks in two speeds, a flash fry of a couple of minutes or a long slow braise, and anything in between turns it rubbery. For salt and pepper squid you want the flash fry. Buy whole squid and we clean and score it free, then all it needs is a light cornflour coat and hot fast oil.
Ingredients
- 500g whole squid (ask the counter to clean and score it, free)
- 4 tbsp cornflour
- 1 tsp sea salt
- 1 tsp Sichuan or black peppercorns, ground
- 1 red chilli, finely sliced
- 2 spring onions, sliced
- oil to fry
- lime wedges
Method
- If the squid is not already prepared, open the tubes, score the inside in a fine crosshatch and cut into strips. Or we clean and score it free. Pat everything very dry.
- Mix the cornflour with the salt and ground pepper. Toss the squid to coat lightly and shake off the excess.
- Heat the oil to 190C. Fry the squid in batches for 1 to 2 minutes until pale gold and crisp. Do not crowd the pan or it will steam.
- For the last batch, drop the chilli and spring onion in for the final 20 seconds.
- Drain, scatter the chilli and spring onion over and finish with lime.
To serve: Lime and a dip, either sweet chilli or a garlic mayonnaise. To drink, a cold beer. Scoring helps it curl and stay tender, and cornflour crisps lighter than plain flour. Larger squid are meatier, small tubes are more tender.
Shop this recipe: squid and what is on the counter today. Cut to order at the counter, filleting free.
Also at the counter: octopus.
