Crisp Salt and Pepper Squid with Chilli, Garlic and Spring Onion
Inspired by techniques from NYT Cooking and America's Test Kitchen.
Crisp, lightly coated squid is deep-fried until golden, then tossed hot with garlic, chilli, spring onion and a fragrant salt and pepper mix.
Always check the labels of the products you use.
Method
- 1
Dry the Squid. Rinse the squid, then spread it over kitchen paper, cover with more paper and press firmly to blot away excess moisture. Leave it for 10 minutes; squid that's properly dried fries up noticeably crisper and spits far less in hot oil.
- 2
Mix the Salt and Pepper. Stir the salt, white pepper and black pepper together in a small bowl and set aside. Having this mix ready means you can season the squid the moment it's fried and still hot, so it sticks and seasons evenly.
- 3
Heat the Oil. Pour the oil into a large heavy pot, filling it no more than a third full, and heat over medium-high heat to 180°C, checking with a thermometer. Keeping the oil at a steady 180°C gives a crisp, pale golden coating without the squid turning greasy or burning before it's cooked through.
- 4
Coat and Fry in Batches. Mix the cornflour, plain flour and salt together, then toss a third of the squid through it, shaking off the excess. Lower it into the oil piece by piece so it doesn't clump, and fry for 1.5-2 minutes until pale golden, crisp and opaque all the way through; cooking it any longer turns squid rubbery rather than tender. Lift onto a wire rack, let the oil return to 180°C, and fry the rest in two more batches.
- 5
Toss with Garlic and Chilli. Heat 1 tbsp of oil in a frying pan over medium heat, add the garlic and chillies and stir for about a minute until fragrant and the garlic is just turning golden. Take the pan off the heat, add the fried squid and spring onions, sprinkle over the salt and pepper mix and toss well so every piece is coated.
- 6
Serve Hot. Pile the squid onto a plate and serve immediately with lime wedges for squeezing over. It's best eaten hot and crisp straight from the pan, before the coating has a chance to soften.
Storage
Salt and pepper squid is best eaten fresh, as the coating softens on standing. If needed, keep leftovers in the fridge for up to 1 day and reheat in a hot oven or air fryer until piping hot (74°C) and crisp again; avoid the microwave, which will make the coating soggy. Cool leftovers in a shallow container and refrigerate within 2 hours (within 1 hour on a day above 32°C).
Equipment
- large heavy pot or wok for deep-frying (at least 4 litres)
- deep-fry or probe thermometer
- spider strainer or slotted spoon
- wire rack set over a tray lined with kitchen paper
- mixing bowl
- small bowl
- large frying pan or second wok
Nutrition per serving (estimated values)
| Per serving | Amount |
|---|---|
| Energy | 326 kcal |
| Protein | 24.5 g |
| Carbohydrate | 20.7 g |
| of which sugars | 0.6 g |
| of which free sugars | 0.1 g |
| Fat | 15.6 g |
| of which saturates | 1.5 g |
| Fibre | 0.9 g |
| Salt | 1.63 g |
Protein per 100 kcal
7.5 g High Protein needs ≥ 10 g
Calculated from USDA FoodData Central ingredient values
