Mel's Salt & Pepper Squid

Total Time: 25 mins Preparation Time: 15 mins Cook Time: 10 mins

Ingredients

• Servings: 2
• 10 -20 small dried red chilies (optional)
• 3 tablespoons sea salt
• 2 tablespoons black peppercorns
• 2 tablespoons szechuan peppercorns
• 500 g rice flour (or tempura flour, i used tempura batter instead)
• 1 kg squid, tubes cut in half so it flat,then into strips. they will curl in the oil
• 500 ml peanut oil
• 2 tablespoons coriander, chopped (i don't add this)
• 2 limes (cut in half for squeezing, i don't add this either, but it would be nice!!!!!)

Recipe

• 1 dry roast spices (salt, both types of peppercorns and chilli) in a pan over a low heat until salt starts to turn golden and spices fragrant.
• 2 place into a mortar and pestle and cool.
• 3 once cool, grind with the mortar and pestle to a fine consistency.
• 4 mix through the rice flour (tempura batter/ flour).
• 5 heat oil in a wok or saucepan to 180 degrees celsius (a sugar thermometer is the safest and best way to check your temperature).
• 6 cut squid into thin strips (or score lightly with knife and cut into larger pieces).
• 7 dust lightly in the flour mix and cook a small batch at a time to retain the heat in the wok to give your squid crunch.
• 8 drain on absorbent paper and place onto your plate.
• 9 to serve sprinkle some chopped coriander over the top, a bit more salt if you wish and add some lime wedges.
• 10 great with an asian beer!
• 11 i hope that you give it a try'cause it's not stringy and not too fishy- it ends up really tender.