Crispy Salt & Chilli Squid

Serves 2. Prep/Cook time: 45 minutes active (1 hour 45 minutes incl. soak)

Forget everything you thought you knew about calamari. This isn’t the sad rubber-band rings you panic-ordered at TGI Fridays in the early 2000s while quoting Anchorman and pretending Blue WKD was sophisticated. This is squid with swagger. Crisp, fiery, unapologetically seasoned within an inch of its life — salt, chilli, MSG, the whole rock ’n’ roll line-up.

We even throw in “crispy seaweed” (spoiler: it’s just fried cabbage, but don’t tell your Nan) and a lime-garlic mayo that slaps harder than a Bruce Lee roundhouse. It’s messy, loud, and guaranteed to make you feel like the main character in your own kung-fu movie — minus the dodgy dubbing.

Cook it at home, brag shamelessly, and if it all goes wrong? You know where to find us at ESF. No judgement, no dishes, just smug satisfaction that you gave it a bash.

The Recipe

The Squid

Ingredients:

  • 1 medium squid (or 3 frozen squid tubes)

  • 4 tsp bicarbonate of soda

  • 2L water

  • 2 tsp salt

  • 150g rice flour

  • 150g cornflour

Method:

  • Pull out head and innards, cut off tentacles, and discard beak.

  • Remove quill, rinse body, and peel skin if desired.

  • Portion tentacles and score the body in a criss-cross pattern.

  • Place squid into water with salt and bicarbonate of soda for 1 hour.

  • Remove, then coat in rice flour and cornflour mixture. Dust off excess.

The Seasoning

Ingredients:

  • 1 tsp sea salt

  • 1 tsp crushed black pepper

  • 1 tsp chilli flakes

  • ½ tsp Chinese 5 spice

  • ½ tsp garlic powder

  • 1 tsp onion powder

  • 1 tsp white sesame seeds

  • 1 tsp black sesame seeds

  • ¼ tsp ground ginger

  • 1 tsp caster sugar

  • 1 tsp MSG

Method:

  • Mix everything together and set aside.

The Mayo

Ingredients:

  • 1 egg yolk

  • 1 tsp Dijon mustard

  • Zest & juice of 1 lime

  • 2 cloves garlic

  • 250ml pomace oil

  • Salt

Method:

  • Whisk egg yolk with Dijon mustard.

  • Grate in garlic using a fine microplane.

  • Slowly whisk in oil until thick and emulsified.

  • Season with lime zest, lime juice, and salt.

The Veg

Ingredients:

  • 1 large white onion

Method:

  • Top and tail the onion, peel, and finely slice. Set aside.

Crispy “Seaweed”

Ingredients:

  • 1 savoy cabbage

  • 1 tsp dashi powder

  • 2 tsp salt

  • 1 tsp caster sugar

  • 1 tsp white sesame seeds

  • 1 tsp black sesame seeds

Method:

  • Halve and core the cabbage, then finely slice the leaves.

  • Deep fry until dark golden.

  • Season with dashi powder, salt, sugar, and sesame seeds.

The Garnish

Ingredients:

  • 1 red chilli, sliced on an angle (remove seeds for less heat)

  • Fresh parsley & chives (optional)

Method:

  • Slice and prepare garnish ready for serving.

Chef Tips

  • Chill for Clean Cuts: Freezing the assembled tortillas for 15–20 minutes makes them easier to slice neatly into triangles or rectangles.

  • Thin is Best: Keep the prawn layer thin — too thick and it won’t cook evenly before the outside browns.

  • Sesame Success: Press the sesame seeds on firmly so they stick well and don’t fall off in the pan.

  • Oil Control: Fry in shallow oil over medium heat — too hot and the sesame burns before the prawn paste cooks through.

  • Small-Batch Sauce: Sweet chilli sauce thickens as it cools — if it’s too thick, loosen with a splash of hot water before serving.

  • Curry Mayo Boost: Toast the curry powder briefly in a dry pan before mixing with water — it brings out a deeper flavour.

    • Protein & Fresh Produce

      • 1 medium squid (or 3 frozen squid tubes)

      • 1 large white onion

      • 1 savoy cabbage

      • 1 red chilli

      • 2 cloves garlic

      • 1 lime

      • Fresh parsley

      • Fresh chives

    • Dry Goods & Seasoning

      • Rice flour

      • Cornflour

      • Sea salt

      • Black pepper

      • Chilli flakes

      • Chinese 5 spice

      • Garlic powder

      • Onion powder

      • Ground ginger

      • Caster sugar

      • MSG

      • Dashi powder

      • White sesame seeds

      • Black sesame seeds

    • Sweeteners

      • Caster sugar (already listed above)

    • Condiments & Sauces

      • Dijon mustard

      • Soy sauce (optional for dipping)

    • Carbohydrates

      • None (unless you serve with rice/noodles on the side)

    • Optional Extras

      • Pomace oil (or rapeseed oil)

      • Nutritional yeast

      • White wine vinegar

  • Per Serving (1 of 2)

    • Calories: ~690 kcal

    • Protein: ~32 g

    • Carbohydrates: ~78 g

      • of which sugars: ~8 g

    • Fat: ~24 g

      • of which saturates: ~3g

    • Fibre: ~5 g

    • Salt (sodium): ~4.8 g

  • Egg, Soy, Sesame, Sulphites, Crustaceans.
    (May contain mustard, fish/shellfish, peanuts/tree nuts — check your product labels.)