Tempura Squid
Featherlight tempura-battered squid fried until crisp, served with a punchy Thai-style nam jim dipping sauce.
Ingredients
| 3 | medium squid |
| — | vegetable oil, for frying |
| 1 | lime, to serve |
| 50 g | light brown sugar |
| 40 ml | lime juice |
| 40 ml | nam pla fish sauce |
| 2 | red chillies, finely chopped |
| 4 | garlic cloves, finely chopped |
| 30 g | ginger, finely chopped |
| 50 g | roasted cashews or peanuts, finely chopped |
| ½ small pack | coriander, chopped |
| 70 g | cornflour |
| 30 g | plain flour |
| 80 ml | sparkling water, chilled |
| small handful | crushed ice |
Instructions
- To prepare the squid, reach inside the body and gently release the innards. Carefully pull out the tentacles, trying to bring all the innards away with the ink sac intact.
- Cut the tentacles just above the eyes and halve any long ones; keep them whole if short. Discard the innards and head.
- Remove the quill from inside the body (it looks like a piece of plastic) and discard.
- With your fingers, remove the wings from either side of the body. Pull off and discard the skin from the wings and body.
- Run a sharp knife along the line where the quill sat to open up the body. Score the inside and slice into bite-sized pieces. Rinse the tentacles, wings and body well, then transfer to a bowl of ice-cold water, ready for cooking.
- To make the dipping sauce, dissolve the sugar in the lime juice and fish sauce. Mix in the chilli, garlic, ginger and nuts, and set aside.
- To make the batter, mix the flours with a pinch of sea salt and freshly ground white pepper. Whisk in the sparkling water and crushed ice, then fold in the coriander.
- Heat the oil in a deep-fat fryer or large heavy-based saucepan (no more than half-full) to 180C (350F), or until a piece of bread browns in about 45 secs. Drain the squid, tip into the batter and mix well. Fry in two batches, rubbing the squid gently with your fingers as it enters the oil to separate the pieces. Cook for 2-3 mins until crisp and lightly coloured, then drain on kitchen paper and season.
- Add the coriander to the dipping sauce and pour into a little dish. Pile the squid around it and squeeze over the lime juice.