Salt and Pepper Squid on a Crunchy Thai Salad
The Chinese 5-spice is the key ingredient in this dish. Use a good one from an Asian store, it will be much more aromatic than its supermarket counterparts.
Serves: 4 - 6
INGREDIENTS
750g baby squid tubes
2 tablespoons sea salt
1 tablespoon freshly ground pepper
2 teaspoons Chinese 5-spice
3⁄4 cup rice flour
2 egg whites
2-3 cups canola oil for frying
Salad
A selection of any of the following salad ingredients:
baby spinach, spring onions, coriander, watercress, bean sprouts, basil, mint, rocket, cucumber, flat leaf parsley, celery, red capsicum, roasted unsalted peanuts or cashews, snow peas
Dressing
3 tablespoons peanut oil
1 tablespoon sesame oil
4 tablespoons lime juice
1 tablespoon fish sauce
1⁄4 cup packed mint or coriander leaves or both
1 tablespoon grated ginger
1 garlic clove, crushed
pinch of sugar
METHOD
Cut the squid in half and score the inside with the tip of a sharp knife. Grind the salt, pepper and 5-spice together in a spice grinder or mortar and pestle. Place the rice flour in a wide shallow dish and mix
through the salt mixture. In another bowl lightly beat the egg whites.
Heat the oil in a wok or a deep saucepan to medium-high.
Take a few pieces of squid at a time and dip them into the egg whites then into the salt/flour mixture. Drop carefully into the oil and cook for 30-40 seconds until golden and crisp. Using a slotted spoon
remove the squid and drain on paper towels. Keep warm in a low oven. Repeat until all the squid is cooked.
Salad: Place the dressing ingredients in a food processor and blend. Combine the salad ingredients in a bowl and dress lightly just before serving.
To finish: Pile the salad onto plates and top with the squid. Serve immediately. Serves 4-6
Bamboo steamers are available from Asian grocery stores nationwide.
Keep up to date with
dish weekly recipes,
food news, and events.
Related Content
latest issue:
Issue #119
Welcome to 2025 and a brand-new year of whipping up delicious recipe withdish! We start the year right with issue 119, jam-packed with easy, mouthwatering meals to make at home. From stunning salads to quick and tasty one-pan chicken dishes, to spectacular sweet treats. We have duos covered with our dinners for two, plenty of wonderful recipes for easy flavour-packed entertaining and make the most of the abundance of fresh seasonal produce. We finish off with a whistle-stop tour of South Australia’s wine country and a round-up of our top tipples from 2024. The latest issue of dish is on sale NOW at all good bookstores and supermarkets – don’t miss it!