Salt & Pepper Squid
This crispy Szechuan pepper squid recipe is a delightful blend of textures and flavors. The tender squid strips are coated in a crunchy cornflour and plain flour mixture with a pop of black pepper and Szechuan peppercorns. Once fried to golden perfection, they are served with a tangy dipping sauce featuring rice wine vinegar, red chili, and cucumber for a burst of freshness. A garnish of sliced spring onions and green chillies adds a final touch of color and heat. Get ready to enjoy a satisfying dish that combines crispy, spicy, and zesty elements in every bite.
— Constant Cookbook
Ingredients
- 85g cornflour
- 85g plain flour
- 2 tsp black pepper , cracked
- 2 tbsp ground Szechuan peppercorns , roughly crushed
- sunflower or vegetable oil , for frying
- 400g squid , cleaned and cut into strips (see tips, below)
- finely sliced spring onion and green chilli, to serve
- 1 red chilli , finely chopped
- half cucumber , finely diced
- 1 small red onion , finely chopped
- 100ml rice wine vinegar
- 1 tbsp caster sugar
- 2 tsp fish sauce
Instructions
- 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, then set aside. Line a tray with kitchen paper and make sure you have more salt to sprinkle with.
- Heat about 7cm of oil to 180C in a deep fryer, wok or deep pan. If you don’t have a thermometer, you can test it with a cube of bread – it should brown in 20 secs. Coat the squid well with the flour mix and fry in batches for about 2 mins each or until crisp. Use a slotted spoon to lift out the squid, then drain on the kitchen paper and sprinkle with a little more salt. Serve the squid scattered with the spring onion and chilli, with the dipping sauce on the side.
Cook Time
5M
Prep Time
PT20M
Yield
SERVES 4 as a starter or as a main alongside other dishes
Nutrition
- Calories: 380 calories
- Fat Content: 14 grams fat
- Saturated Fat Content: 2 grams saturated fat
- Carbohydrate Content: 48 grams carbohydrates
- Sugar Content: 7 grams sugar
- Fiber Content: 1 grams fiber
- Protein Content: 20 grams protein
- Sodium Content: 3.29 milligram of sodium
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