Salt & Pepper Crispy Squid

I've cooked this several times and just love it, so long as the squid is very dry you can flour in advance, lay out single layer, cover and refrigerate for up to 2 hours. It's a great starter for Thai steamed fish or Malay fish curry.

• Ready In: 20 mins
• Serves: 4

Ingredients

• 800  g squid, tubes (hoods)
• 1  tablespoon flour
• 1  tablespoon cornflour
• 1  tablespoon salt
• 2  teaspoons white pepper
• 2  cups  clean  vegetable oil (for cooking, wok)
• 2  red chilies, chopped
• 2  green chilies, chopped
• 1⁄2 cup  chopped spring onion
• 2  tablespoons garlic, roughly chopped
• 1⁄4 cup lime juice
• 1  tablespoon palm sugar or 1  tablespoon light brown sugar
• 1  cup coriander leaves, roughly chopped

Directions

1. Cut the tubes open and check that they are really clean.
2. Open them up from one side and lay them with the inside surface facing up. With a really sharp knife, make slanted cuts into the flesh of the squid at 5mm intervals - only shallow, don't cut through.
3. Reverse and do it from the opposite direction to make diamond shapes.
4. Then cut the tubes into wide strips and toss into the flours, salt and pepper. Shake off any excess - I find a sieve works best.
5. When ready to cook, heat the oil to just smoking and add half of the squid sections.
6. Cook until they are a pale golden brown. Drain on paper towelling. Repeat with the remaining squid.
7. For the sauce, combine the rest of the ingredients.
8. To serve, pile the squid into a shallow serving plate and pour over half of the dessing.
9. Serve the rest of the dressing separately.