Name: Salt and Pepper Squid (Jiāoyán Xiānyóu / 椒鹽鮮魷)
Total time: 1 h 35 min
Cuisine: ChineseAsian
Ingredients: ⅔ cup cornstarch; ⅓ cup all-purpose flour; ½ teaspoon baking powder; 1⅛ teaspoons table salt , divided; ½ teaspoon plus pinch white pepper , divided; ⅔ cup water; 2 quarts peanut oil for frying; 1 pound squid , bodies sliced crosswise ¾ inch thick, extra-long tentacles trimmed to match length of shorter ones; ¼ teaspoon monosodium glutamate (optional); Pinch five-spice powder; 5 garlic cloves , minced; 1 tablespoon grated fresh ginger; 1 green or red longhorn chile , stemmed and sliced thin into rounds; 1 Fresno chile , stemmed and sliced thin into rounds; 2 scallions , sliced thin

Salt and Pepper Squid (Jiāoyán Xiānyóu / 椒鹽鮮魷)

By José Maldonado

Published on October 9, 2023

Time

1 hour, plus 35 minutes resting

Yield

4 to 6

Salt and Pepper Squid (Jiāoyán Xiānyóu / 椒鹽鮮魷)

Ingredients

⅔ cup cornstarch ⅓ cup all-purpose flour ½ teaspoon baking powder 1⅛ teaspoons table salt, divided½ teaspoon plus pinch white pepper, divided⅔ cup water 2 quarts peanut oil for frying1 pound squid, bodies sliced crosswise ¾ inch thick, extra-long tentacles trimmed to match length of shorter ones¼ teaspoon monosodium glutamate (optional)Pinch five-spice powder 5 garlic cloves, minced1 tablespoon grated fresh ginger 1 green or red longhorn chile, stemmed and sliced thin into rounds1 Fresno chile, stemmed and sliced thin into rounds2 scallions, sliced thin

Before You Begin

As we’re heating oil to 425 degrees, it is important to use peanut oil for frying. For ideal texture, buy whole squid, not precut. Can’t find longhorn chiles? Use two Fresnos. This recipe is from A Very Chinese Cookbook: 100 Recipes from China and Not China (But Still Really Chinese).

Instructions

Whisk cornstarch, flour, baking powder, 1 teaspoon salt, and ½ teaspoon pepper together in bowl. Whisk in water until smooth; refrigerate for 30 minutes.

Set wire rack in rimmed baking sheet. Set second wire rack in second sheet and line with triple layer of paper towels. Add oil to large Dutch oven until it measures about 1½ inches deep and heat over medium-high heat to 425 degrees.

Whisk batter to recombine. Add squid and toss to coat. Using hands, remove squid from batter (allowing excess to drip back into bowl) and place in single layer on unlined rack. Let rest for 1 minute to allow excess batter to drip off.

Working quickly, use spider skimmer or slotted spoon to lower one-third of squid into hot oil. Using tongs or cooking chopsticks, separate pieces so they fry individually. Fry squid until light golden brown, about 2 minutes. Adjust burner, if necessary, to maintain oil temperature between 400 and 425 degrees. Using spider skimmer or slotted spoon, transfer squid to towel-lined rack. Return oil to 425 degrees and repeat with remaining squid in 2 batches; transfer to rack.

Measure out and reserve 1 tablespoon frying oil; discard remaining oil or save for another use. Combine remaining ⅛ teaspoon salt, remaining pinch pepper, monosodium glutamate, if using, and five-spice powder in small bowl. Heat 14-inch flat-bottomed wok over medium-high heat until just beginning to smoke. Drizzle reserved oil around perimeter of wok and heat until just smoking. Add garlic and ginger and cook, stirring constantly, until garlic is beginning to brown and ginger is fragrant, about 1 minute. Add chiles and cook, stirring constantly, until softened, about 2 minutes. Add squid, scallions, and salt mixture and gently toss to coat. Serve.