Chilli, Salt and Pepper Squid
At a Glance
- Prep
- 10 minutes
- Cook
- 2 minutes
- Total
- 12 minutes
- Servings
- 4-6 serving(s)
Categories
- Lunch
- Snacks
- Starter
- Asian
- Cantonese
- Chinese
- Deep Frying
- Easy
- Lunch/Snacks
- Deep-Frying
Allergens
- Wheat
- Molluscs
Servings & Nutrition
Original recipe serves 6. Current scale: 1x.
This classic Cantonese starter is simple to make, but for real success, there are a couple of rules you need to follow. Most important: always use clean oil for your deep-frying. The resulting batter will be crisp, crunchy and light, as opposed to heavy, greasy and 'dirty' in flavour. And be sure to serve it immediately: this dish is best eaten piping hot.
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Equipment
Wok, slotted spoon, kitchen paper, large bowl
Ingredients
- 1 lb squid, cleaned
- 2 tablespoons cornstarch
- 2 tablespoons plain flour
- 2 teaspoons hot chili powder
- 2 tablespoons sea salt
- 1 tablespoon szechuan peppercorns, dry-roasted and crushed
- 2 cups vegetable oil
- 4 leaves iceberg lettuce, chilled
- 2 lemons, cut into wedges
Instructions
Rinse and dry the squid thoroughly.
Slice each squid tube horizontally into 1/2in rings. Set aside.
In a large bowl, combine both types of flour with the chili powder, sea salt and Szechuan pepper. Add the squid and toss to coat, shaking off any excess flour.
Fill a wok with oil to about a third full (about 2 cups) and heat until the surface seems to shimmer slightly.
Add half the squid and deep-fry it for between 45 seconds and 1 minute, or until it's just tender and beginning to colour. Remove with a slotted spoon and drain well on kitchen paper. Repeat the process with the remaining squid.
Arrange the lettuce leaves on a platter and top with the squid. Serve with the lemon wedges.
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