Salt and Pepper Squid has to be crisp, packed with flavour, and most importantly not oily. This recipe delivers all that - and I give two serving options - over a simple green salad with chips, like in a pub, or as a stir-fried starter like you'd find in an Asian restaurant.
Salt and Pepper Squid Recipe
As one of Lou's favourite foods, Salt & Pepper Squid was something I had to get right. It's fair to say that over the years, I've tried this at many places at all price points so I know what it should taste like when it's perfect. And honestly, this Salt & Pepper Squid is as good as anything I've ever bought.
I've used Sichuan pepper and five-spice powder because I love the classic Chinese taste and the mild mouth numbing you get from the Sichuan pepper. You can leave these out if you prefer - it's still a cracking Salt and Pepper Squid that gives everything you want.
Crispy Salt & Pepper Squid Ingredients
Check out the recipe card further down the post for comprehensive ingredients and quantities.
- Squid - for this recipe, you can use squid tubes, and tentacles if you have them. Don't score the tentacles if using them - just cut them into bite-sized segments and fry. Squid is readily available frozen from fishmongers and supermarkets and is a great standby meal.
- Rice flour is key for the crunchy texture. You can find it at most grocery stores. Don't substitute for cornflour/starch or plain flour. The rice flour will absorb less oil than breadcrumbs or most batters.
- An egg and Shaoxing rice wine for a quick marinade. The rice wine is available at most supermarkets. Substitute the rice wine with dry sherry if you need to.
- Fine salt - don't use a coarse salt (i.e. cooking/kosher) because it will not season evenly.
- White pepper.
- MSG - optional. Some people don't like it, but your local Chinese joint probably adds it which is why it tastes so good...
- Sichuan pepper - available from larger stores and Asian grocers, this is worth seeking out for its fragrant taste and mild numbing effect.
To serve, pub style:
- Garden salad and chips
To serve, Chinese-style:
- Peanut oil or other high temperature neutral oil.
- Scallions, chillies and garlic as the aromatic base.
- Chinese Five-spice powder adds a depth of flavour.
Essential equipment you need to make Salt & Pepper Squid
For this recipe, the squid needs to be deep fried. I've used a deep fryer for this recipe as they're safer and make less mess than cooking on the stove, but you don't need to have a deep fryer. If you use a pot or wok, make sure you understand the safety risks - oil is combustible and can give severe burns.
If you're frying in a pot or wok, you will need a thermometer for keeping track of the oil temperature.
If you choose to make the Chinese style stir fried starter, you'll need a wok or skillet.
How to make Salt & Pepper Squid
Check out the recipe card further down the post for comprehensive instructions.
- Open the squid up by slicing down the length of the tube and have the inside facing up.
- Score the inside, taking care not to cut through the flesh.
- Cut the squid into bite-sized pieces.
- Marinate the squid in egg and shaoxing wine.
- Drain the squid and roll in rice flour.
- Fry the squid.
- Dust with salt and white pepper, MSG (if using), Sichuan pepper (if using).
For the Chinese-style
- Heat a wok or skillet with oil, and then add the chilli, scallions and garlic and stir fry.
- Add the salt and pepper squid to the wok and cook until combined and warmed through.
Tips
- The use of rice flour gives a fantastically crisp result with less oil absorption. It's worth hunting rice flour out at the supermarket rather than using another flour.
- Shake off the excess rice flour before placing in the fryer.
- Place some squid in a snap-lock bag with the rice flour and shake well to combine, to save individually dusting each piece in flour.
- Once cooled, strain your oil after deep frying to extend its life.
- Season the squid to taste while it's hot out of the fryer - the residual oil will help the seasoning adhere.
- If you have a whole squid, the tentacles can be used as part of the dish.
- Drain squid on paper towel to remove excess oil.
What to serve with Salt & Pepper Squid
Salt and Pepper Squid can be served as a main or a starter portion. It's fairly common in Australia for it to be served with chips & salad at a pub, or at a Chinese restaurant you'd likely get a serve of steamed rice or fried rice.
How to clean squid
Remove the head - pull out the head and innards by gently gripping the head just below the eyes and pulling it away from the body. Most of the internal organs will come out attached to the head. Place in the bin and discard - optionally keeping the tentacles as you can cook those. If you're going to use the tentacles, make sure to remove the beak - pinch it out with your fingers or cut it away.
Remove the quill, a long, plastic-like cartilage inside the body (tube). Simply reach in and pull it out with your fingers.
Peel off the skin from the body and fins. The purplish outer membrane can be pulled off with your fingers or helped along with a paper towel for grip. This step is optional but common in many recipes for a cleaner look.
Rinse the squid under cold running water, inside and out, to remove any remaining bits.
Pat dry with paper towels.
How to score squid
Place the squid tube on a cutting board. Use a sharp knife to slice down one side lengthwise, so the tube opens into a flat sheet. Have the inside facing up - it's smoother and shinier than the outside. This side is better for scoring, as it shows the cross-hatch more clearly when cooked.
Using a sharp knife, lightly score diagonal lines across the surface at a 45° angle, spacing them about 5 mm (¼ inch) apart. Take care not to slice through - it doesn't take much pressure.
Rotate the squid and repeat the same scoring pattern in the opposite direction to create a diamond-shaped cross-hatch pattern.
Cut the scored tube into bite sized pieces.
Make ahead, reheating and freezing Salt & Pepper Squid
Fried squid doesn't reheat or freeze well, so it's best cooked and served fresh. You can prep in advance by getting the squid into the egg and wine mixture; keep it in the fridge for up to a day.
Salt and Pepper Squid
| Prep | Cook | Total |
|---|---|---|
| 10 mins | 15 mins | 25 mins |
- 500g (1.1 lb) cleaned squid tubes fresh or frozen, tentacles OK - see note 1
- 180g (1 cup) rice flour
- 1 egg
- 1 tbsp Shaoxing (Chinese rice) wine sub for dry sherry or mirin
- Fine salt, to taste see note 2
- White pepper, to taste
- 1/8 tsp MSG optional but recommended, see note 3
- 1 tbsp Sichuan pepper, ground in a pestle and mortar optional but recommended, see note 4
- 2 tsp peanut oil
- 2 scallions, finely sliced
- 2 chillies, finely sliced cayenne or similar - deseed if you would like it mild
- 3 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 tsp Chinese five-spice powder or more - to taste
- Garden salad
- Chips
- Prepare squid - place a squid tube on a cutting board. Slice each tube open lengthwise to make a flat sheet. Lightly score diagonal lines across the inside at a 45° angle, about 5 mm (¼ inch) apart, without cutting through. Rotate the squid and repeat the same scoring pattern in the opposite direction to create a diamond-shaped cross-hatch pattern. Repeat for each squid tube.
- Cut squid - cut the scored tubes into bite-sized pieces.
- Marinade - combine squid, egg, and Shaoxing wine in a bowl. Mix well and let sit for 15 minutes.
- Deep fryer - preheat deep fryer to 190C (375F). If you don't have a deep fryer, you can use a wok or large saucepan or pot - just make sure you use a thermometer and understand the risks, particularly if cooking on gas.
- Rice flour - add rice flour to a wide bowl or plate. Working in batches, pick up a few pieces of squid. Shake off excess egg & wine, and then drop into the rice flour. Roll around until covered in rice flour. Shake off excess rice flour then place onto a plate. Repeat until all the squid is coated.
- Fry - Add squid one piece at a time, spacing them so they don’t touch for the first few seconds to avoid them sticking together. Fry for about 3 minutes, or until crisp and lightly golden. When cooked use a spider, strainer, or your deep fryer basket to remove from the hot oil and allow to drip drain. Place onto paper towel to absorb excess oil and then place into a bowl. Depending on the size of your fryer, you may need to work in batches - repeat as needed until all squid is cooked.
- Season - place the squid into a bowl. Scatter the salt, white pepper, MSG and Sichuan pepper (if using) and then toss to coat evenly.
- Serve with a salad and optionally some chips for a pub-style meal, or follow on for instructions on making the Chinese-style dish.
For the Chinese-style Salt and Pepper Squid
- Add aromatics - Heat oil in a wok over medium-high. Add scallions, chillies, and garlic and stir-fry until softened.
- Add squid - add the squid and toss to combine. Scatter the five-spice powder and continue to cook, tossing occasionally, until the squid is reheated.
- Squid - I like to keep cleaned squid tubes in the freezer, which are available from many supermarkets. If you have them, you can use cleaned tentacles in this recipe as well.
- Salt - make sure you use a fine salt for this, not a coarse cooking/kosher salt.
- MSG - Some people don't like it, but your local takeaway probably adds it which is why it tastes so good... It's available in the US under the Accent brand, and you can easily find it at Asian grocers.
- Sichuan pepper has a mild tingling, numbing effect on the mouth. It adds a distinctive citrus taste to the squid and is well worth using if you have it. You can find it at larger supermarkets and Asian grocers.
- Squid preparation - the post has details instructions on how to clean squid and how to score squid.
- Deep frying - This recipe requires deep frying. I suggest using a deep fryer, but if you understand the risks you can deep fry in a wok or large saucepan or pot.
