This recipe delivers high-heat cooking and bold flavours. The contrast of a light, crunchy, spiced coating against tender, melt-in-your-mouth squid makes it an instant crowd-pleaser for your blog readers.

Prep time: 15 minutes

Cook time: 5 minutes

Servings: 2 as a main, 4 as a starter

Ingredients

Squid & Frying:

• 400g fresh squid tubes, cleaned

• Vegetable or canola oil, for deep frying

Crispy Coating:

• 1/2 cup cornstarch

• 1/4 cup plain flour

• 1 tsp baking powder

• 1 tsp sea salt flakes

• 1 tsp coarsely cracked black pepper

• 1/2 tsp red chilli flakes

Chilli & Garlic Toss:

• 1–2 fresh red chillies, finely sliced

• 3 cloves garlic, finely minced

• 2 spring onions, sliced (whites and greens separated)

• 1 pinch sea salt

To Serve:

• Fresh coriander, roughly chopped

• Fresh lime wedges

Instructions

1. Prep the Squid

• Pat the squid tubes completely dry inside and out using paper towels. Removing moisture is key to getting a crunchy crust.

• Slice the tubes into 1 cm rings, or score the inside in a criss-cross pattern and cut into bite-sized squares.

2. Mix the Coating

• Whisk the cornstarch, plain flour, baking powder, sea salt, black pepper, and dried chilli flakes together in a shallow bowl.

3. Fry to Golden Perfection

• Fill a heavy-bottomed pan or wok with 5 cm of oil and heat over high heat until it reaches 180°C (350°F).

• Working in small batches, toss the squid in the flour mixture, shake off any excess, and carefully lower into the hot oil.

• Fry for 60 to 90 seconds until pale golden and crisp. Remove with a slotted spoon and drain on paper towels.

4. Toss with Aromatics

• Heat 1 tablespoon of oil in a clean skillet or wok over medium-high heat.

• Add the minced garlic, sliced red chillies, and the white parts of the spring onions. Sauté for 30 seconds until fragrant.

• Flash-toss the crispy squid, spring onion greens, and a pinch of salt into the pan for 20 seconds to coat evenly.

5. Serve Hot

• Transfer immediately to a platter. Garnish with chopped coriander and serve straight away with fresh lime wedges.

Pro Tips for Blog Readers

• Don’t Overcook: Squid turns rubbery if cooked for more than 2 minutes. Keep the frying quick and hot.

• Batch Frying: Overcrowding the oil drops its temperature, resulting in a soggy crust. Fry in 2 or 3 separate batches.