Salt & pepper squid

• cornflour↗85g g
• plain flour↗85g g
• black pepper↗2 tsp tsp

  cracked

• ground Szechuan peppercorns2 tbsp tbsp

  roughly crushed

• sunflower or vegetable oil↗

  for frying

• squid↗400g g

  cleaned and cut into strips (see tips, below)

• finely sliced spring onion

  and green chilli, to serve

• red chilli↗1

  finely chopped

• half cucumber

  finely diced

• small red onion↗1

  finely chopped

• rice wine vinegar↗100ml ml
• caster sugar↗1 tbsp tbsp
• fish sauce↗2 tsp tsp

Step-by-step instructions

1. 1

   To make the dipping sauce, mix all the ingredients in a small bowl until the sugar has dissolved, then set aside. Mix the cornflour and plain flour with both peppers and 2 tsp sea salt in a large bowl, then set aside. Line a tray with kitchen paper and make sure you have more salt to sprinkle with.

2. 2

   Heat about 7cm of oil to 180C in a deep fryer, wok or deep pan. If you don’t have a thermometer, you can test it with a cube of bread – it should brown in 20 secs. Coat the squid well with the flour mix and fry in batches for about 2 mins each or until crisp. Use a slotted spoon to lift out the squid, then drain on the kitchen paper and sprinkle with a little more salt. Serve the squid scattered with the spring onion and chilli, with the dipping sauce on the side.