The Best Crispy Fried Calamari | Chinese Salt and Pepper Squid Recipe

Hi everyone, welcome to souped up recipes. Today we're making salt and pepper squid, or what we call jiao yan you yu. It's incredibly delicious and crispy because I used a special batter and a secret frying technique. Together they create a golden, airy and extra crunchy crust, while the inside calamari stays tender and succulent. This has to be the best deep fried crispy squid recipe ever, so let's get started. First, we will prepare the squid. They are previously frozen, and the inner parts are already removed. All we need to do is gently rub the edge to lose a little bit of tissue, then you should be able to grab the tissue and pull the skin off. Keep doing that until all the skin is gone. This step is optional, but it does make the calamari more tender. Simply slice the squid hood into a quarter of an inch thick rings. As for the tentacles, cut it into bite-sized pieces. The marinade is simple. You will need 3 cloves of garlic and half inch of ginger. Grate them into a paste. I love using this ceramic grater because it doesn't hurt you, even if you accidentally rub your fingers on it. I'll link it in the description, go check it out. Continue by adding half teaspoon of sugar, one and a half teaspoon of soy sauce, and one teaspoon of jiao yan seasoning, aka Chinese salt and pepper seasoning. This is different than the salt and pepper condiment you put on your dinner table. The name refers to Sichuan peppercorn, which has a dominant citrus aroma and a unique tingling effect that determines the authenticity of this dish. I'll link it in the pinned comment so you can purchase it online. You can also watch this video to learn how to make it yourself. Mix well, and we're gonna make the batter. You will need 1 teaspoon of baking powder, 2 tablespoons of all-purpose flour, and a quarter cup of fine cornmeal. Do not use coarse cornmeal, or else your batter will have an unpleasant gritty texture. Pour in a third cup of water, and mix thoroughly until there are no lumps. Using cornmeal is a new batter trick that I recently found. It creates a sturdier outer layer that can resist sogginess better. It also adds a subtle sweet earthy corn flavor, and that beautiful golden yellow color, making the dish look super appetizing. If you watched my previous salt and pepper ribs or salt and pepper wings recipe, you may notice that I used a dry flour mixture to coat the ribs and wings, but I used a wet batter to coat the squid in this recipe. Do you know why? Squid cooks really fast, and can be easily overcooked. A wet batter allows you to control the doneness better, so you don't end up with a rubbery texture. These details are small, but they make all the differences for a perfect result. Heat the oil to 400 degrees Fahrenheit. I am using peanut oil, but corn, sunflower seeds, or other high smoke point oil will also work. When deep frying, a lot of people just add the food to the oil one by one, but the way I do it is slightly different. You see, when the coated calamari touches the oil, I give it a little gentle swirl so that it swims in the oil for two seconds. This helps the batter to fully interact with the oil and create a light, airy, crispy texture. Let me show you a comparison. The one on the left was fried without swirling, and the one on the right was gently swirled in the oil. You can see, the first one has a smooth and more rounded crust, while the second one has these little beautiful folds created by the swirling. It is so much more crispier, and the crunchy texture lasts a long time. This is why sometimes you can follow a recipe exactly, and still end with a disappointment. Small details really make a big difference. Fry over medium-high heat for 2-3 minutes. Some pieces will turn golden sooner, so take those out, and let the rest fry a little longer. Set the fried calamari on the rack to drain the excess grease. You will have to fry in 2-3 batches because we don't want to crowd the wok. Listen to this. That crispy sound is seriously music to ears, and it's making me hungry already. Before serving, toss it with some diced Thai bird eye chilies, scallions, and extra jiaoyan seasoning to reinforce the salt and pepper flavor. If you're looking for dipping sauce, there's no need at all, because it is delicious on its own. I like to put a few slices of lemon, because a bit of sourness really cuts down the heaviness from deep frying, taking this jiaoyan squid to a different level. My family goes nuts with these crispy golden salt and pepper squid. Now I regret. I should have doubled the recipe because me alone can finish all of this. I just can't stop eating. I hope you give this a try soon. As always, the printable recipe link is in the pinned comment. Go check it out. Don't forget to like and subscribe to my channel for more easy and delicious Chinese food. Thank you for watching, and I'll see you next time. Bye!