Salt and pepper squid with chilli strawberry chutney
Serves: 4
Ingredients
- For the chutney:
- 3 large mild red chilies, halved, deseeded, finely chopped
- 4cm piece root ginger, peeled, grated
- 1 tsp Sichuan peppercorns, roughly crushed
- 450g strawberries, sliced
- 1 large onion, finely chopped
- 450g caster sugar
- 150ml white wine vinegar
- 4 tsp corn flour
- 1 tbsp water
- for the salt and pepper squid:
- 500g baby squid, cleaned, defrosted if frozen
- 1 tsp Sichuan peppercorns, finely crushed
- 1 tsp sea salt flakes
- 4 tbsp corn flour
- 4 tbsp plain flour
- 1 egg white
- sunflower oil for deep frying
Method
- Put all the ingredients for the chutney except the corn flour and water into a saucepan and cook over a gentle heat until the sugar has dissolved. Simmer for 30 mins until the strawberries are soft.
- Mix the corn flour with the water until a smooth paste, stir into the chutney and cook for 1 min until thick and smooth.
- Remove the tentacles from inside the squid tubes, rinse well in cold water, drain and slice into 1cm rings.
- Spoon the peppercorns and salt on to a plate, add the corn flour and flour and mix together.
- Fork the egg white on a second plate to break up.
- Half fill a deep saucepan with oil and heat until the surface begins to shimmer.
- Dip a few of the squid rings into the egg white, drain off the excess then toss in the flour.
- Drop one into the oil, if it bubbles instantly it is ready. Lower the flour-coated squid into the oil.
- Cook for 2-3 mins until the squid is pale golden brown and cooked through, lift out of the oil, drain well and transfer to a second plate lined with kitchen paper.
- Repeat in small batches until it is all cooked.
- Spoon the chutney into small individual dishes, add to plates and serve immediately.
