Salt and Pepper Squid

Ingredients

• 600g whole squid, cleaned
• 1 tbsp Shaoxing wine
• 1 tsp grated ginger
• 80g cornflour
• 30g rice flour
• 1/2 tsp baking powder
• 1 tbsp coarse sea salt
• 2 tsp Sichuan peppercorns
• 1 tsp ground white pepper
• 1/2 tsp five-spice powder
• 4 garlic cloves, finely chopped
• 2 red chillies, sliced
• 3 spring onions, sliced
• 1 litre groundnut oil, for frying
• 1 lemon, cut into wedges

Before you cook

• Slice the squid bodies open along one side and lay them flat with the inside facing up.
• Score the inside surface in a fine diamond pattern, cutting no more than halfway through.
• Cut the scored squid into pieces about 4cm by 5cm and keep the tentacles whole.
• Pat everything thoroughly dry with kitchen paper, then toss with the Shaoxing wine and grated ginger.
• Mix the cornflour, rice flour and baking powder in a wide bowl.
• Chop the garlic, chillies and spring onions and keep them together beside the stove.

Steps

1. Toast the coarse salt and Sichuan peppercorns in a dry frying pan over medium heat for 3 minutes, until the peppercorns smell citrusy.
2. Grind the toasted salt and peppercorns to a powder, then stir in the white pepper and five-spice.
3. Pat the squid dry once more, since any surface moisture will make the coating slide off.
4. Toss the squid through the flour mixture until every piece is dusted, then shake off the excess in a sieve.
5. Heat the groundnut oil in a deep pan to 190C.
6. Fry the squid in three small batches for 90 seconds each, until the coating is pale gold and crisp.
7. Lift each batch onto a rack and let the oil come back up to temperature before the next one.
8. Pour all but a tablespoon of oil out of a wok, or heat a tablespoon of fresh oil in a clean wok over high heat.
9. Stir-fry the garlic, chilli and spring onion for 20 seconds, just until they smell sharp and hot.
10. Return all the squid to the wok and toss for 15 seconds.
11. Sprinkle over two thirds of the spiced salt and toss twice more.
12. Turn out onto a plate, put the remaining spiced salt in a small dish, and serve with lemon wedges.