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Salt and Pepper Squid Recipe

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★★★★★

4.9 from 118 reviews

This Salt and Pepper Squid recipe features crispy, perfectly fried squid pieces with a flavorful coating of sea salt and white pepper, enhanced by aromatic garlic, chili, and fresh basil leaves. Marinated in shaoxing wine and fried to golden perfection, this dish is a delightful appetizer or snack with a satisfying crunch and vibrant taste.

Ingredients

Scale

Squid Marinade

  • 2 large squid (or calamari), about 450g/1lb, cleaned
  • 1 tablespoon shaoxing wine
  • ¼ teaspoon sea salt
  • ¼ teaspoon white pepper

Crispy Coating Flour Mixture

  • ¼ cup all-purpose flour
  • ¼ cup cornstarch
  • ½ teaspoon sea salt
  • ½ teaspoon white pepper

Deep Frying

  • 1 litre vegetable oil (sunflower or canola) for deep frying
  • 3 cloves garlic, thinly sliced and patted dry
  • 1 fresh chili, deseeded, thinly sliced, patted dry
  • Handful fresh basil leaves, patted dry

Instructions

  1. Prepare the squid: Score the squid tubes with criss-cross patterns by opening the squid flat and making shallow diagonal cuts about ½ cm apart. Then cut the squid into bite-sized pieces.
  2. Marinate the squid: In a bowl, combine the squid pieces with shaoxing wine, sea salt, and white pepper. Mix well and cover, refrigerating to marinate for 15 minutes.
  3. Preheat the frying oil: Heat vegetable oil in a deep pot over high heat until it reaches 180°C (350°F). If using a thermometer, confirm the temperature; if not, test by adding a small piece of bread or using a chopstick to check for sizzling.
  4. Prepare the coating: Mix flour, cornstarch, sea salt, and white pepper in a bowl. Dredge each piece of marinated squid in the dry mixture, ensuring an even and thorough coating, lightly dusting off any excess before frying.
  5. Fry the squid: Carefully add the coated squid pieces into the hot oil, frying in batches if needed to avoid overcrowding. Fry on high heat for about 2 minutes, turning them halfway through to ensure even cooking.
  6. Add aromatics: Quickly and gently add the sliced garlic, chili, and fresh basil leaves into the hot oil with the squid. Step back immediately to avoid oil spitting; it will calm down after a few seconds.
  7. Finish frying: Continue frying everything together for another 1 minute until the squid is super crispy and the aromatics are lightly crisped.
  8. Drain and serve: Remove the squid, basil, garlic, and chili crisps using a slotted spoon or tongs, placing them on kitchen paper to drain excess oil. Serve immediately with extra white pepper if desired.

Notes

  • Cleaning squid: Most store-bought squid tubes are cleaned. To clean fresh squid, pull the head and tentacles from the tube, discard the head, remove the backbone and innards, then wash and pat dry.
  • Oil quantity: 1 litre of oil is an estimate and depends on pot size; ensure enough oil for deep frying but avoid overfilling your pot.
  • Scoring squid: Scoring helps tenderize and allows the coating to stick better. Use a sharp knife at an angle to avoid cutting all the way through.
  • Oil temperature: Ensure oil is at 180°C/350°F for optimal frying; use bread or chopstick tests if no thermometer is available.
  • Oil spitting: Adding basil, garlic, and chili will cause oil to spit. Step back immediately to avoid burns; the spitting will stop quickly.

Keywords: Salt and Pepper Squid, fried squid, crispy calamari, Chinese appetizer, deep fried squid, garlic chili basil squid

Find it online: https://hannahdelgado.com/salt-and-pepper-squid-recipe/