Salt and Pepper Squid
User Reviews
5
Salt and Pepper Squid
Description
This recipe uses pre-cut frozen calamari rings that are briefly soaked in boiling water, a step that helps the batter cling better during frying. The batter includes cake flour, potato starch, corn starch, and optionally custard powder for improved color and subtle flavor. An egg, water, and oil are incorporated to form a smooth coating. After seasoning the squid with salt and white pepper, it's dipped in the batter and deep-fried in small batches to maintain oil temperature and crispiness.
The stir fry seasoning combines fried shallots, sliced red Fresno chilies (with seeds mostly removed to moderate heat), and cut green onions, tossed with salt and black pepper. The seasoning is briefly cooked to release aroma without making the squid soggy. Finally, the fried squid is quickly combined with these seasonings and served. The dish can be paired with various dips such as Thai sweet chili, ranch, or sweet and sour sauces if desired.
Handling the squid carefully during frying and avoiding overcrowding ensures a crispy texture. Draining the fried squid on paper towels helps remove excess oil. The use of custard powder in the batter is optional but recommended for enhanced color and light flavor. This recipe yields a well-textured salt and pepper squid with layered tastes from the crispy coating to the savory seasoning.
Ingredients
- 1 pound squid (Pre-cut frozen calamari)
Batter:
- 1 cup cake flour
- 5 tablespoons potato starch
- ¼ cup corn starch
- 3 ¾ teaspoons baking powder
- 2 ¼ teaspoons custard powder (Optional)
- 1 large egg (2 oz)
- ¾ cup water
- ⅓ cup vegetable oil
Seasoning squid:
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ⅛ teaspoon white pepper
Stir frying seasonings:
- 1 teaspoon vegetable oil
- 2 red Fresno chili peppers (2.2 oz)
- 2 ticks green onions (2.3 oz)
- ⅓ cup shallot 0.8 oz, fried
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
Others:
Boiling water soak squid:
- 4 cups water
Deep fry squid:
- 3 cups vegetable oil
Instructions
- Wash and cut 2 sticks of green onion (2.3 oz) into pieces.
- Wash and cut 2 red Fresno chili peppers into slices. Try to remove as much seed as you can, so it won't be too spicy.
- Put 1 cup of cake flour into a container.
- Put 5 tablespoons of potato starch, ¼ cup of cornstarch, 3 ¾ teaspoons of baking powder into the container. (* Highly recommend adding 2 ¼ teaspoons of custard powder. If not, it is ok. Custard powder is optional.) Then, mix it well.
- Crack 1 large egg (2 oz) into the flour mixture.
- After that, add ¾ cup of water and ⅓ cup of oil into the flour mixture.
- Mix it very well and smooth it out. Make sure there are no clumps.
- Wash and rinse the defrosted pre-cut calamari into a big bowl.
- Pour 4 cups of water into a pot and turn on medium high fire.
- When the water is boiling, pour the hot boiling water into the bowl with calamari in step 8 immediately. Let it soak for 10 seconds. (Be careful with the hot boiling water and don't soak for too long, only 10 seconds.)
- Then, drain the water and dry the squid on a plate with paper towels very well.
- Add ¼ teaspoon of salt and ⅛ teaspoon of white pepper on the plate with dry squid from step 11. Then, mix it well.
- After that, put the seasoned squid from step 12 into the batter mixture step 7 and mix it well. Make sure the squid are covered with batter.
- The following step, pour 3 cups of oil into the wok and turn on a small fire.
- Insert wooden chopsticks into the oil. If you see air bubbles around it, it is a good indication that the oil is hot enough for deep frying. It is around 350 F if you measure it with a thermometer.
- Slowly put the battered squid from step 13 into the oil and let it deep fry both sides golden brown. (* Extremely be careful when you deep fry the squid because hot oil may splash, especially when you turn and move them.)
- Use a strainer to take out the golden brown deep fry calamari.
- Continue deep fry the rest of the calamari and put them on a plate with paper towels to absorb excess oil. (* If you don’t like the stir fry seasoning part, you can stop after deep frying calamari. Only deep frying calamari tastes great too! You can dip it with Thai sweet chili, fry sauce, sweet and sour sauce or ranch dressing.)
- Pour 1 teaspoon of oil into the wok and turn on medium small fire.
- Put the cut red chili pepper from step 2 into the wok and stir fry it a little bit.
- After, add ⅓ cup of fried shallots (0.8 oz) into the wok. Then, stir fry them a little bit.
- Next, add ¼ teaspoon of salt and ¼ teaspoons of black pepper and stir fry them a little bit.
- Turn off the fire, add the cut green onion from step 1 into the wok and use the remaining heat to stir fry them a little bit.
- Lastly, add the deep fried calamari from step 18 into the wok, toss, mix the seasoning and ready to serve.
Notes
- Use pre-cut frozen squid rings for convenience, ensuring to soak them briefly in boiling water to help batter adhesion.
- Dry the squid thoroughly after soaking to prevent splattering during frying.
- Custard powder in the batter is optional, but it enhances color and lends subtle flavor.
- Deep fry the squid in small batches at around 350°F to keep it crispy and to avoid oil temperature drops.
- Drain fried squid on paper towels to remove excess oil before tossing with stir-fry seasonings.
- The seasoning mix adds aroma with fried shallots and mild heat from chilies without sogginess.
- Serve with sauces like Thai sweet chili or ranch for dipping if preferred.
Nutrition Information
Show DetailsNutrition Facts
Serving: 6Serving
Amount Per Serving
Calories 482 kcal
% Daily Value*
| Calories | 482kcal | 24% |
| Carbohydrates | 30g | 10% |
| Protein | 16g | 32% |
| Fat | 33g | 51% |
| Saturated Fat | 5g | 25% |
| Polyunsaturated Fat | 19g | 112% |
| Monounsaturated Fat | 8g | 40% |
| Trans Fat | 0.2g | 10% |
| Cholesterol | 212mg | 71% |
| Sodium | 259mg | 11% |
| Potassium | 584mg | 12% |
| Fiber | 1g | 4% |
| Sugar | 1g | 2% |
| Vitamin A | 98IU | 2% |
| Vitamin C | 6mg | 7% |
| Calcium | 158mg | 16% |
| Iron | 1mg | 6% |
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.
User Reviews
Overall Rating
5
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