Cross-Cultural · China

Salt and Pepper Squid (椒鹽鮮魷)

Name: Salt and Pepper Squid (椒鹽鮮魷)
Prep time: 30 minutes
Cook time: 15 minutes
Total time: 45 minutes
Yield: 4 servings
Ingredients: 1 lb squid, cleaned, scored, and cut (450g); 1/4 tsp white pepper, for marinade; 1 tbsp cooking wine, for marinade; 1 large egg yolk; 1 tbsp potato starch, for marinade; 4 tbsp all-purpose flour, for batter; 2 tbsp potato starch, for batter; 4 tbsp water, for batter; 1 tsp baking powder; 2 tsp garlic salt, for seasoning; 1/4 tsp ground white pepper, for seasoning; 2 cups neutral oil, for frying; 1/4 red bell pepper, thin strips; 2 Thai bird's eye chilies, diced; 3 garlic cloves, minced; 3 scallion stalks, whites diced

Double-fried squid with a wet batter coating, tossed with garlic, chili, and scallion in a salt-white pepper seasoning

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Jump to Recipe

Salt and pepper squid is one of the great Cantonese seafood dishes. The version you make at home can be better than what most restaurants serve if you get two things right: the scoring and the double fry.

Scoring means cutting a cross-hatch pattern into the inside surface of the squid body without cutting through. When the squid hits hot oil, the scored pieces curl into beautiful spirals, creating more surface area for the batter to cling to. The scoring also shortens the muscle fibers, keeping the squid tender.

The batter is wet, not dry. Flour and potato starch mixed with water into a thick paste that seals in moisture. The first fry cooks the squid through. The second fry at higher temperature creates the shattering crunch. After frying, the squid gets a fast toss with garlic, chili, scallion, and a salt-white pepper seasoning. No sauce, no glaze, just salt and heat and crunch.

At a Glance

Yield

4 servings

Prep

30 minutes

Cook

15 minutes

Total

45 minutes

Difficulty

Medium

Ingredients

4 servings

1 lbsquid, cleaned, scored, and cut (450g)
1/4 tspwhite pepper, for marinade
1 tbspcooking wine, for marinade
1large egg yolk
1 tbsppotato starch, for marinade
4 tbspall-purpose flour, for batter
2 tbsppotato starch, for batter
4 tbspwater, for batter
1 tspbaking powder
2 tspgarlic salt, for seasoning
1/4 tspground white pepper, for seasoning
2 cupsneutral oil, for frying
1/4red bell pepper, thin strips
2Thai bird's eye chilies, diced
3garlic cloves, minced
3scallion stalks, whites diced

Method

1
Clean, score cross-hatch, cut squid into 1-inch pieces. Pat dry. Marinate with white pepper, wine, egg yolk, potato starch.
2
Make batter: flour + potato starch + water + baking powder + salt + oil into thick paste.
3
First fry at 175°C (350°F) for 2.5-3 min until golden and curled. Second fry at 190°C (380°F) for 30-40 sec until very crispy.
4
Toss in clean wok with garlic, chili, scallion, bell pepper. Season with garlic salt and white pepper. Serve immediately.