Salt & pepper squid

Ingredients

• Vegetable oil
• Black pepper 2 tsp
• Plain flour 85 g
• Sugar 1 tbsp
• Cucumber 0.5
• Fresh chilli 1
• Red onion 1
• Spring onions
• Squid 400 g
• Cornflour 85 g
• Fish sauce 2 tsp
• Rice vinegar 100 ml
• Sichuan pepper 2 tsp

Method

1. To make the dipping sauce, mix all the ingredients in a small bowl until the sugar has dissolved, then set aside.
2. Mix the cornflour and plain flour with both peppers and 2 tsp sea salt in a large bowl, then set aside.
3. Line a tray with kitchen paper and make sure you have more salt to sprinkle with.
4. Heat about 7cm of oil to 180C in a deep fryer, wok or deep pan.
5. If you don’t have a thermometer, you can test it with a cube of bread – it should brown in 20 secs.
6. Coat the squid well with the flour mix and fry in batches for about 2 mins each or until crisp.
7. Use a slotted spoon to lift out the squid, then drain on the kitchen paper and sprinkle with a little more salt.
8. Serve the squid scattered with the spring onion and chilli, with the dipping sauce on the side.