Salt and Pepper Squid

Name: Salt and Pepper Squid
Total time: 23 min
Yield: 4 servings
Cuisine: chinese
Ingredients: 800 g Squid, cleaned: head, eyes and beak removed; 2 piece Egg; 80 g Cornflour; 40 g Plain flour; 2 tsp Fine sea salt; 2 tsp White pepper; 1 tsp Sichuan peppercorns; 1 tsp Five-spice powder; 4 clove Garlic; 2 piece fresh red chilli; 4 piece Spring onions; 1,000 ml Vegetable oil

23 min · 23 min active · makes ~2.15 kg · Medium

Crispy squid coated in seasoned flour and fried until golden, finished with Sichuan peppercorns, garlic, and fresh red chilli for heat and numbing spice.

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Salt and Pepper Squid

Crispy squid coated in seasoned flour and fried until golden, finished with Sichuan peppercorns, garlic, and fresh red chilli for heat and numbing spice.

See more →

TOTAL TIME

23 min

ACTIVE TIME

23 min

QUANTITY

~2.15 kg

DIFFICULTY

Medium

CUISINE

—

Who’s eating

Cooking for A typical adult.

This should leave everyone comfortably full.

Portions & fullness

Ingredients0/12

Tools0/18

Ingredients

0/12 gathered · 4 servings

cleaned: head, eyes and beak removed800g

2piece

80g

40g

2tsp

1tsp

4clove

2piece

4piece

1,000ml

#	Quantity	Notes	State
1	800g	cleaned: head, eyes and beak removed	—
2	2piece	—	—
3	80g	—	—
4	40g	—	—
5	2tsp	—	—
6	2tsp	—	—
7	1tsp	—	—
8	1tsp	—	—
9	4clove	—	—
10	2piece	—	—
11	4piece	—	—
12	1,000ml	—	—

Tools

21 items

Serveware

1 item

Procedure

35 steps

1 of 35

Lay the squid on the chopping board and pull the tentacles away from the body, then reach inside each tube and pull out the transparent quill and any soft innards, discarding them.

Squid · 800 g

⏱ 10s

ResultSquid

2 of 35

Cut the squid tubes open along one side and open them flat, then score the inside surface in a fine crosshatch with the tip of the knife, taking care not to cut all the way through, and cut each tube into rough 4 cm pieces, leaving the tentacle clusters whole.

Squid · step 1

⏱ 1 min 30s

ResultScored squid tubes and tentaclesused in step 5

3 of 35

Crack the eggs into the medium bowl, discarding the shells.

Egg · 2 piece

⏱ 10s

ResultEgg

4 of 35

Beat the eggs lightly with the whisk until the yolk and white are just combined.

⏱ 15s

ResultLightly beaten eggs

5 of 35

Add the scored squid pieces and tentacles to the beaten egg.

Scored squid tubes and tentacles · step 2

⏱ 10s

ResultLightly beaten eggs and scored squid tubes and tentacles

6 of 35

Turn the squid through the egg with tongs until every piece is evenly coated.

⏱ 20s

ResultEgg-coated squidused in step 27

7 of 35

Measure the cornflour into the large bowl.

Cornflour · 80 g

⏱ 5s

ResultCornflour

8 of 35

Add the plain flour to the large bowl.

Plain flour · 40 g

⏱ 5s

ResultCornflour and plain flour

9 of 35

Add the sea salt to the flour mixture.

Fine sea salt · 2 tsp

⏱ 5s

ResultCornflour and plain flour and fine sea salt

10 of 35

Add the white pepper to the flour mixture.

White pepper · 2 tsp

⏱ 5s

ResultPlain flour mixture

11 of 35

Measure the Sichuan peppercorns into the small frying pan.

Sichuan peppercorns · 1 tsp

⏱ 10s

ResultSichuan peppercorns

12 of 35

Toast the Sichuan peppercorns over a medium heat, shaking the pan, until they smell fragrant and just begin to smoke, then tip them into the small bowl.

⏱ 1 min

ResultToasted sichuan peppercorns

13 of 35

Grind the toasted sichuan peppercorns from the small frying pan

Toasted sichuan peppercorns · step 12

⏱ 30s

ResultGround sichuan pepper

14 of 35

Add the ground Sichuan pepper to the flour mixture.

Ground sichuan pepper · step 13

⏱ 5s

ResultPlain flour mixture

15 of 35

Add the five-spice powder to the flour mixture.

Five-spice powder · 1 tsp

⏱ 5s

ResultPlain flour mixture

16 of 35

Stir all the dry ingredients together until evenly combined.

⏱ 15s

ResultSeasoned coating flour

17 of 35

Crush each garlic clove flat with the side of the knife and slip off the skin.

Garlic · 4 clove

⏱ 30s

ResultPeeled garlic cloves

18 of 35

Finely chop the peeled garlic cloves into small pieces.

Peeled garlic cloves · step 17

⏱ 30s

ResultFinely chopped garlicused in step 20

19 of 35

Place the red chillies on the chopping board.

Fresh red chilli · 2 piece

⏱ 5s

ResultFresh red chilli

20 of 35

Finely chop the chillies, discarding the stalks but keeping the seeds.

Finely chopped garlic · step 18 Fresh red chilli · step 19

⏱ 30s

ResultFinely chopped red chilliused in step 32

21 of 35

Lay the spring onions on the chopping board.

Spring onions · 4 piece

⏱ 5s

ResultSpring onions

22 of 35

Cut off the root ends and any wilted dark tops from the spring onions.

Spring onions · step 21

⏱ 15s

ResultTrimmed spring onions

23 of 35

Strip away any loose or slimy outer layers from the trimmed spring onions.

Trimmed spring onions · step 22

⏱ 30s

ResultPeeled spring onions

24 of 35

Cut the peeled spring onions on the diagonal into thin slices.

Peeled spring onions · step 23

⏱ 30s

ResultSliced Spring Onionsused in step 34

25 of 35

Pour the vegetable oil into the large deep saucepan. It should come no more than halfway up the sides.

Vegetable oil · 1,000 ml

⏱ 10s

ResultVegetable oil

26 of 35

Heat the oil over a high heat until a cooking thermometer reads 190 °C — a pinch of the coating dropped in should sizzle and rise immediately.

190°C

⏱ 5 min

ResultHot oil

27 of 35

Working in 3 batches, lift the egg-coated squid pieces out of the egg bowl, drop them into the seasoned flour, and toss to coat each piece thoroughly, shaking off any loose excess.

Egg-coated squid · step 6

⏱ 1 min

ResultFlour-and-egg coated squid

28 of 35

Fry the coated squid in the same 3 batches: lower each batch into the hot oil with a spider and fry for about 2 minutes until the coating is pale gold and the squid is just cooked through.

Flour-and-egg coated squid · step 27

190°C

⏱ 6 min

ResultCrisp fried squid

29 of 35

Lift each fried batch onto a plate lined with kitchen paper to drain.

Crisp fried squid · step 28

⏱ 1 min

ResultDeep-frying oilused in step 36

30 of 35

Carefully ladle about 2 tablespoons of the deep-frying oil from the saucepan into the small frying pan.

Deep-frying oil · step 29

⏱ 5s

ResultDeep-frying oil

31 of 35

Set the small frying pan over a high heat and let the oil heat until it shimmers and a piece of garlic dropped in sizzles immediately.

180°C

⏱ 30s

ResultHot oil

32 of 35

Tip the finely chopped garlic into the hot oil in the small frying pan.

Finely chopped red chilli · step 20

⏱ 5s

ResultHot oil and finely chopped red chilli

33 of 35

Stir the garlic constantly over high heat for about 20 seconds until golden and fragrant, then add the chopped chilli and stir for a further 10 seconds.

⏱ 30s

ResultFragrant garlic and chilli

34 of 35

Add the sliced spring onions to the pan with the garlic and chilli.

Sliced Spring Onions · step 24

⏱ 5s

ResultSliced spring onions and fragrant garlic and chilli

35 of 35

Toss the spring onions through the garlic and chilli in the pan for 10–15 seconds until just softened and bright.

⏱ 20s

ResultTossed spring onion, garlic and chilliused in step 37

Total Time23 min

#	Product	Tool	Action
1	800 g		Lay the squid on the chopping board and pull the tentacles away from the body, then reach inside each tube and pull out the transparent quill and any soft innards, discarding them.⏱ 10sResultSquid
2	Squidstep 1		Cut the squid tubes open along one side and open them flat, then score the inside surface in a fine crosshatch with the tip of the knife, taking care not to cut all the way through, and cut each tube into rough 4 cm pieces, leaving the tentacle clusters whole.⏱ 1 min 30sResultScored squid tubes and tentaclesused in step 5
3	2 piece		Crack the eggs into the medium bowl, discarding the shells.⏱ 10sResultEgg
4	—		Beat the eggs lightly with the whisk until the yolk and white are just combined.⏱ 15sResultLightly beaten eggs
5	Scored squid tubes and tentaclesstep 2		Add the scored squid pieces and tentacles to the beaten egg.⏱ 10sResultLightly beaten eggs and scored squid tubes and tentacles
6	—		Turn the squid through the egg with tongs until every piece is evenly coated.⏱ 20sResultEgg-coated squidused in step 27
7	80 g		Measure the cornflour into the large bowl.⏱ 5sResultCornflour
8	40 g		Add the plain flour to the large bowl.⏱ 5sResultCornflour and plain flour
9	2 tsp		Add the sea salt to the flour mixture.⏱ 5sResultCornflour and plain flour and fine sea salt
10	2 tsp		Add the white pepper to the flour mixture.⏱ 5sResultPlain flour mixture
11	1 tsp		Measure the Sichuan peppercorns into the small frying pan.⏱ 10sResultSichuan peppercorns
12	—		Toast the Sichuan peppercorns over a medium heat, shaking the pan, until they smell fragrant and just begin to smoke, then tip them into the small bowl.⏱ 1 minResultToasted sichuan peppercorns
13	Toasted sichuan peppercornsstep 12		Grind the toasted sichuan peppercorns from the small frying pan⏱ 30sResultGround sichuan pepper
14	Ground sichuan pepperstep 13		Add the ground Sichuan pepper to the flour mixture.⏱ 5sResultPlain flour mixture
15	1 tsp		Add the five-spice powder to the flour mixture.⏱ 5sResultPlain flour mixture
16	—		Stir all the dry ingredients together until evenly combined.⏱ 15sResultSeasoned coating flour
17	4 clove		Crush each garlic clove flat with the side of the knife and slip off the skin.⏱ 30sResultPeeled garlic cloves
18	Peeled garlic clovesstep 17		Finely chop the peeled garlic cloves into small pieces.⏱ 30sResultFinely chopped garlicused in step 20
19	2 piece		Place the red chillies on the chopping board.⏱ 5sResultFresh red chilli
20	Finely chopped garlicstep 18		Finely chop the chillies, discarding the stalks but keeping the seeds.⏱ 30sResultFinely chopped red chilliused in step 32
20	Fresh red chillistep 19
21	4 piece		Lay the spring onions on the chopping board.⏱ 5sResultSpring onions
22	Spring onionsstep 21		Cut off the root ends and any wilted dark tops from the spring onions.⏱ 15sResultTrimmed spring onions
23	Trimmed spring onionsstep 22		Strip away any loose or slimy outer layers from the trimmed spring onions.⏱ 30sResultPeeled spring onions
24	Peeled spring onionsstep 23		Cut the peeled spring onions on the diagonal into thin slices.⏱ 30sResultSliced Spring Onionsused in step 34
25	1,000 ml		Pour the vegetable oil into the large deep saucepan. It should come no more than halfway up the sides.⏱ 10sResultVegetable oil
26	—	190°C	Heat the oil over a high heat until a cooking thermometer reads 190 °C — a pinch of the coating dropped in should sizzle and rise immediately.⏱ 5 minResultHot oil
27	Egg-coated squidstep 6		Working in 3 batches, lift the egg-coated squid pieces out of the egg bowl, drop them into the seasoned flour, and toss to coat each piece thoroughly, shaking off any loose excess.⏱ 1 minResultFlour-and-egg coated squid
28	Flour-and-egg coated squidstep 27	190°C	Fry the coated squid in the same 3 batches: lower each batch into the hot oil with a spider and fry for about 2 minutes until the coating is pale gold and the squid is just cooked through.⏱ 6 minResultCrisp fried squid
29	Crisp fried squidstep 28		Lift each fried batch onto a plate lined with kitchen paper to drain.⏱ 1 minResultDeep-frying oilused in step 36
30	Deep-frying oilstep 29		Carefully ladle about 2 tablespoons of the deep-frying oil from the saucepan into the small frying pan.⏱ 5sResultDeep-frying oil
31	—	180°C	Set the small frying pan over a high heat and let the oil heat until it shimmers and a piece of garlic dropped in sizzles immediately.⏱ 30sResultHot oil
32	Finely chopped red chillistep 20		Tip the finely chopped garlic into the hot oil in the small frying pan.⏱ 5sResultHot oil and finely chopped red chilli
33	—		Stir the garlic constantly over high heat for about 20 seconds until golden and fragrant, then add the chopped chilli and stir for a further 10 seconds.⏱ 30sResultFragrant garlic and chilli
34	Sliced Spring Onionsstep 24		Add the sliced spring onions to the pan with the garlic and chilli.⏱ 5sResultSliced spring onions and fragrant garlic and chilli
35	—		Toss the spring onions through the garlic and chilli in the pan for 10–15 seconds until just softened and bright.⏱ 20sResultTossed spring onion, garlic and chilliused in step 37
Total Time			23 min

Serving

Pile the drained crisp squid onto the large serving plate.
Spoon the spring onion, garlic and chilli garnish over the squid and serve at once.

Nutrition

per serving

Estimated · pre-cooking · 100% ingredients covered

Nutrient	Per serving
	555kcal
	23g
	27g
	5g
	33g
	1g
	2g
	1,216mg

Ingredients0/12

Tools0/18

Recipe

Salt and Pepper Squid

Crispy squid coated in seasoned flour and fried until golden, finished with Sichuan peppercorns, garlic, and fresh red chilli for heat and numbing spice.

What you’ll doYou will clean and score the squid, then coat it in beaten egg and a spiced flour mixture. Meanwhile, heat oil to 190 °C and fry the squid in batches until pale gold. As the squid drains, quickly infuse garlic, chilli and spring onions in hot oil, then pile everything together and serve immediately.

Serves4

Total23 min

LevelMedium

Ingredients

Squid, cleaned: head, eyes and beak removed800 g
Egg2 piece
Cornflour80 g
Plain flour40 g
Fine sea salt2 tsp
White pepper2 tsp
Sichuan peppercorns1 tsp
Five-spice powder1 tsp
Garlic4 clove
Fresh red chilli2 piece
Spring onions4 piece
Vegetable oil1,000 ml

Tools

Small frying panTongsPestle and mortarSmall bowlSpider skimmerChef's knifeMedium bowlLarge bowlWhiskWooden spoonLarge serving plateCooking thermometerLarge deep saucepanLadlePlateForkKitchen paperChopping boardMortar pestleThermometerSpider

Method

Lay the squid on the chopping board and pull the tentacles away from the body, then reach inside each tube and pull out the transparent quill and any soft innards, discarding them.

10sChopping boardSquid · 800 g

Result · Scored squid tubes and tentacles · used in step 5

1 min 30sChopping board, Chefs knifeSquid · step 1

Crack the eggs into the medium bowl, discarding the shells.

10sMedium bowlEgg · 2 piece

Beat the eggs lightly with the whisk until the yolk and white are just combined.

15sMedium bowl, Whisk

Add the scored squid pieces and tentacles to the beaten egg.

10sMedium bowlScored squid tubes and tentacles · step 2

Turn the squid through the egg with tongs until every piece is evenly coated.

Result · Egg-coated squid · used in step 27

20sMedium bowl, Tongs

Measure the cornflour into the large bowl.

5sLarge bowlCornflour · 80 g

Add the plain flour to the large bowl.

5sLarge bowlPlain flour · 40 g

Add the sea salt to the flour mixture.

5sLarge bowlFine sea salt · 2 tsp

Add the white pepper to the flour mixture.

5sLarge bowlWhite pepper · 2 tsp

Measure the Sichuan peppercorns into the small frying pan.

10sSmall frying panSichuan peppercorns · 1 tsp

Toast the Sichuan peppercorns over a medium heat, shaking the pan, until they smell fragrant and just begin to smoke, then tip them into the small bowl.

1 minSmall frying pan

Grind the toasted sichuan peppercorns from the small frying pan

30sSmall bowl, Mortar pestleToasted sichuan peppercorns · step 12

Add the ground Sichuan pepper to the flour mixture.

5sLarge bowlGround sichuan pepper · step 13

Add the five-spice powder to the flour mixture.

5sLarge bowlFive-spice powder · 1 tsp

Stir all the dry ingredients together until evenly combined.

15sLarge bowl, Wooden spoon

Crush each garlic clove flat with the side of the knife and slip off the skin.

30sChopping board, Chefs knifeGarlic · 4 clove

Finely chop the peeled garlic cloves into small pieces.

Result · Finely chopped garlic · used in step 20

30sChopping board, Chefs knifePeeled garlic cloves · step 17

Place the red chillies on the chopping board.

5sChopping boardFresh red chilli · 2 piece

Finely chop the chillies, discarding the stalks but keeping the seeds.

Result · Finely chopped red chilli · used in step 32

30sChopping board, Chefs knifeFinely chopped garlic · step 18Fresh red chilli · step 19

Lay the spring onions on the chopping board.

5sChopping boardSpring onions · 4 piece

Cut off the root ends and any wilted dark tops from the spring onions.

15sChopping board, Chefs knifeSpring onions · step 21

Strip away any loose or slimy outer layers from the trimmed spring onions.

30sChopping board, Chefs knifeTrimmed spring onions · step 22

Cut the peeled spring onions on the diagonal into thin slices.

Result · Sliced Spring Onions · used in step 34

30sChopping board, Chefs knifePeeled spring onions · step 23

Pour the vegetable oil into the large deep saucepan. It should come no more than halfway up the sides.

10sLarge deep saucepanVegetable oil · 1,000 ml

Heat the oil over a high heat until a cooking thermometer reads 190 °C — a pinch of the coating dropped in should sizzle and rise immediately.

190°C5 minLarge deep saucepan, Thermometer

Working in 3 batches, lift the egg-coated squid pieces out of the egg bowl, drop them into the seasoned flour, and toss to coat each piece thoroughly, shaking off any loose excess.

1 minLarge bowlEgg-coated squid · step 6

Fry the coated squid in the same 3 batches: lower each batch into the hot oil with a spider and fry for about 2 minutes until the coating is pale gold and the squid is just cooked through.

190°C6 minLarge deep saucepan, SpiderFlour-and-egg coated squid · step 27

Lift each fried batch onto a plate lined with kitchen paper to drain.

Result · Deep-frying oil · used in step 36

1 minPlate, Kitchen paperCrisp fried squid · step 28

Carefully ladle about 2 tablespoons of the deep-frying oil from the saucepan into the small frying pan.

5sSmall frying pan, LadleDeep-frying oil · step 29

Set the small frying pan over a high heat and let the oil heat until it shimmers and a piece of garlic dropped in sizzles immediately.

180°C30sSmall frying pan

Tip the finely chopped garlic into the hot oil in the small frying pan.

5sSmall frying panFinely chopped red chilli · step 20

Stir the garlic constantly over high heat for about 20 seconds until golden and fragrant, then add the chopped chilli and stir for a further 10 seconds.

30sSmall frying pan

Add the sliced spring onions to the pan with the garlic and chilli.

5sSmall frying panSliced Spring Onions · step 24

Toss the spring onions through the garlic and chilli in the pan for 10–15 seconds until just softened and bright.

Result · Tossed spring onion, garlic and chilli · used in step 37

20sSmall frying pan, Tongs

Pile the drained crisp squid onto the large serving plate.

15sLarge serving plateDrained crisp squid · step 29

Spoon the spring onion, garlic and chilli garnish over the squid and serve at once.

Result · Salt and Pepper Squid

10sLarge serving plateTossed spring onion, garlic and chilli · step 35

Printed 11 October 2026