Elevated Snacks · Chinese
Salt and Pepper Squid
Squid in a shatteringly light cornstarch crust, tossed with fried garlic, chili and scallion in a bare-bones salt and white pepper mix.
Why This Works
The precise blend of cornstarch and rice flour creates a non-glutinous, glassy crust that remains brittle rather than chewy. By utilizing a high-heat quick fry, we develop maximum surface texture while keeping the squid protein tender and succulent, ensuring the delicate meat is never overcooked into a rubbery state.
The Upgrade
Score the squid bodies in a crosshatch before cutting. The cuts curl in the fryer and catch far more of the aromatics.
Chef's Secret
Michelin TechniqueDry the squid obsessively. Water is the enemy of a crisp crust and the cause of the violent spitting that makes people fear frying seafood.
Ingredients
Total time including resting: 30 min
Directions
Pat the squid completely dry with paper towels and allow it to air-dry in the refrigerator for 10 minutes.
10 minCombine the cornstarch blend and the salt-pepper mixture in a bowl, then coat the squid pieces thoroughly, shaking off any excess.
Heat the neutral oil to 375°F and fry the squid in small batches for 60 to 90 seconds until a pale golden crust forms.
2 minRemove the squid and drain on a wire rack to maintain crispness; discard all but 1 tablespoon of the frying oil.
Briefly sauté the garlic, chilies, and half of the scallions in the remaining oil until fragrant, then toss in the fried squid to coat before garnishing with the remaining scallions and serving with lemon.
1 minWine Pairing
Txakoli
White Wine
The BottleAmeztoi Getariako Txakolina
Fried seafood asks for salt, spritz and lemon. Txakoli delivers all three, with a faint prickle of carbonation that lifts the batter and enough salinity to make the white pepper sing.
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