Salt & Pepper Squid

Name: Salt & Pepper Squid
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 10 min
Yield: 2 to 4 servings
Cuisine: Chinese Menu
Ingredients: Squid Tubes — 400g; Sesame Oil — 1 tsp; Egg — 1; Cornflour — 200g; Salt — 1 tsp; White Pepper — 1 pinch; Water — 1 tbsp; Vegetable Oil — 500ml; Garlic — 5 cloves; Red Chillies — 2; White Onion — ½; Salt — ½ tsp; White Pepper — 1 pinch; Vegetable Oil — 1 tbsp

Salt & Pepper Squid is a masterclass in culinary contrast. It is one of the most popular seafood dishes in Cantonese cuisine, prized for its 'shatter-crisp' coating and the tender, almost creamy texture of the squid inside. It is a 'dry' stir-fry that relies on aromatic heat rather than a heavy sauce.

Cuisines

Cooking Instructions

Preparation: 20 minutes
Cooking: 10 minutes

Servings: 2 to 4

Notes:

Egg yolk in the marinade is optional but provides a beautiful golden-yellow tint to the crispy coating.

To create extra-crunchy coating clusters, lightly spritz the cornflour mixture with a mist of water from a spray bottle and stir with a fork prior to dredging.

Deseed the red chillies before chopping if a milder heat level is preferred.

Fresh or defrosted frozen squid tubes work equally well, provided they are thoroughly dried before scoring and dredging.

Prep Vegetables and Squid
Finely chop the garlic and red chillies, and finely slice the white onion. Open out the squid tubes flat and score the inside flesh in a fine criss-cross diagonal pattern using a sharp knife, then cut into bite-sized pieces.

Marinate Squid
In a bowl, combine the scored squid pieces with the sesame oil, egg, and 2 teaspoons of cornflour, mixing until the squid is completely coated in a gloopy mixture.

Prepare Seasoned Coating
Sieve the remaining cornflour into a wide bowl along with 1 teaspoon of salt and the white pepper. Lightly spritz the cornflour mixture with a spray bottle of water 2 to 3 times, tossing with a fork after each misting to form tiny starch clusters.

Dredge the Squid
Add the marinated squid pieces to the cornflour mixture in batches. Rub and toss thoroughly until every piece of squid is completely dry and heavily coated in starch.

Deep-fry Squid
Heat vegetable oil in a deep pan to 180°C. Lower the coated squid pieces into the oil in batches and deep-fry for 3 minutes until crisp and golden. Drain thoroughly on paper towels.

Wok Toss and Serve
Heat 1 tablespoon of vegetable oil in a wok over high heat. Add the sliced onion, chopped garlic, and red chillies, stir-frying for 1 minute until fragrant. Add a pinch of additional salt and white pepper, toss in the crispy fried squid, and toss rapidly for 30 seconds to distribute the aromatics before serving hot.