Recipe for Salt and Pepper Squid with Cool Salad, on MiNDFOOD.
Serves 4
1 tbsp sea salt flakes
1 tsp white pepper
½ tsp dried chilli flakes
½ tsp Chinese five-spice powder
¼ cup cornflour
¼ cup plain flour
750g calamari tubes, thinly sliced
vegetable oil, for deep-frying
1 cucumber (or lebanese cucumber), cut into ribbons
3 cups firm, seedless watermelon, diced
2 tbsp pink pickled ginger
½ cup coriander leaves
lime wedges, to serve
1 Combine salt flakes, pepper, chilli and five-spice in a small bowl. Combine cornflour and plain flour in another bowl. Add two-thirds of salt mixture to flour mixture. Stir until well combined. Toss calamari in flour mixture, shaking off excess.
2 Put a scrunched piece of baking paper on a baking tray. Fill a heavy-based saucepan one-third with oil and put on medium-high heat. Drop ¼ tsp flour mixture into hot oil; if it sizzles immediately, the oil is ready. Deep-fry a quarter of the calamari for 2 minutes or until golden. Transfer to prepared tray to drain. Deep-fry remaining calamari.
3 Meanwhile, to make salad, put cucumber on a large plate lined with paper towel and pat dry. Combine cucumber, watermelon, pickled ginger and coriander in a large bowl.
4 When calamari is drained, transfer to a bowl and sprinkle with remaining salt mixture. Toss until lightly coated. Serve immediately with salad and lime wedges.
