Salt and pepper squid
A light flour-and-cornflour coating gives squid a crisp shell. Garlic, chilli and spring onion add the final fragrance after frying.
- Prep
- 15 min
- Cook
- 15 min
- Total
- 30 min
- Makes
- Serves 2
Your new skill: Keeping a light coating crisp during frying
For a little background, read What would you eat at a Beijing night market?.
Your ingredients
Get ready: Stable deep saucepan, oil thermometer, long slotted spoon, rack and separate frying pan.
- 250 g cleaned squid rings or pieces, defrosted if frozen
- 7 tbsp plain flour, divided
- ¼ tsp fine salt mixed with a pinch five-spice powder
- 45 ml water
- 3 tbsp cornflour
- A pinch baking powder
- Neutral oil suitable for deep-frying
- 2 tbsp minced garlic
- 2 tsp minced ginger
- Fresh chilli to taste, finely chopped
- 1 spring onion, sliced
- Extra salt and five-spice to taste
Let’s make it
-
Dry and coat
Pat squid very dry. Mix 4 tablespoons flour with salt, five-spice and the measured water. Coat the squid. In a separate shallow dish, mix remaining flour, cornflour and baking powder; roll the pieces in this dry coating.
-
Fry in small batches
Use a stable deep saucepan no more than one-third full of oil. Heat to 180°C using a thermometer; get an experienced adult to help if deep-frying is new to you. Lower in small batches and fry until light golden and cooked through, about 2–3 minutes depending on size. Drain on a rack.
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Finish in a clean pan
Use a separate frying pan with a teaspoon of oil, rather than pouring away hot frying oil. Briefly sizzle garlic, ginger and chilli. Toss in squid and spring onion, season lightly and serve immediately. The coating is best while it is still crisp.
What to try next
Try Glass-noodle salad with a chilli dressing or Garlic pak choi for your next kitchen project.
Keeping it: Best eaten freshly fried. Refrigerate leftovers within 2 hours and eat within 48 hours, reheating only once until steaming hot.
