Salt and Pepper Calamari

Salt and Pepper Calamari is a crisp, punchy squid dish coated in a 1:1 flour-and-cornstarch mix, fried until lightly browned, then tossed through sizzling minced garlic and chopped parsley. The finish is all about the bold kick of freshly ground Sichuan pepper, black pepper, and salt—fragrant, spicy, and seriously moreish.

Ingredients

Steps

Using a mortar and pestle, finely grind black pepper, Sichuan pepper and salt
Cut the squid into rings
Season the squid and make sure they are coated with the seasonings thoroughly
In a bowl, whist the egg and add in seasoned squid. Make sure they’re well incorporated
In a large place, mix the flours in 1:1 ratio
Coat the squid with flour, gently tap off excess flour and place on a clean plate for frying
Heat your oil to 180 °C
Slowly and gently add in battered squid for frying. (P.S. Don’t fry the whole portion in one go, do it in multiple rounds)
Fry for about 3 minutes or until slightly browned
Remove from oil and leave it on a rack
In a new pan with oil, add in garlic and parsley. Toss it for about 30 seconds
Add in the calamari and evenly coat every pieces
Lastly, serve and enjoy!