Squid with Chilli, Garlic and Crisp Lettuce

 Ohoho....This is a record for this blog, I have not updated for more than a month. I have been a very bad blogger. My hands are really full now and its very tricky to type with one hand. For friends that have known me from this blog, will probably guess right what has kept me away from posting or visiting. There are many waste going on in the garden and into the compost heap. We are blessed with many self-seeded edibles this year and with only 2 mouths to feed in the house now, we can't managed to finish the goodies by ourselves. Lettuce are nice to be pick now in the garden smack straight between sandwiches.  There are still a few left of red chillies dangling outside for us to make our favourite squid dish.

~Squid witg Chilli, Garlic and Crisp Lettuce~

(Recipe from Your Place Or Mine by Gary Mehigan and George Calombaris)

Ingredients:

2 squids (about 400 gram each)

500ml peanut oil, for deep frying plus a little extra

1 head garlic, finely chopped

35 gram cornflour

75 gram rice flour

2 teaspoons sea salt flakes

2 teaspoons freshly grounded white pepper

1 egg white

2 spring onions, thinly sliced

2 fresh red bird's-eye chillies, thinly sliced

2 fresh green bird's eye chillies, thinly sliced

1 fresh long red chilli, thinly sliced

2 teaspoons finely chopped ginger

2 tablespoons chopped coriander

1 small iceberg lettuce, washed leaves separated (optional)

2 small lebenese cucumbers, peeled, cut into strips (optional)

Coriander sprigs, to serve

(1) Rinse the squid, then separate the hood and tentacles. Rinse and remove the contents of each hood and rinse again. Remove the head and beak from the tentacles and rinse again. Remove the quill from inside the hoods and discard. Score each hood lightly on the softer side on the diagonal with the tip of a sharp knife then repeat in the other direction to form a neat criss-cross pattern.  Cut each hood into 4 cm pieces and set aside with the tentacles.

(2) Heat a splash of the oil in a wok over low heat and fry the garlic until just golden. Remove that garlic with a slotted spoon and transfer to a paper towel to drain, then set aside.

(3) Mix the cornflour, rice flour, salt and pepper in a bowl and set aside. Place the egg white in a stainless-steel bowl, then beat until light and foamy. Place the squid first into the egg white, then lift out, wipe off the excess and toss through the flour mixture. Set aside.

(4)Heat oil for deep-frying. Working in batches if neccessary, deep-fry the squid for 4 minutes or until crisp, then remove and drain on a paper towel.

(5)Heat a splash of extra oil in the wok and fry the spring onion, chilli and ginger for a few seconds over medium heat, then add the squid and coriander and toss together. Tip the lot onto a plate and serve with lettuce, cucumber and coriander sprigs.

Hope to catch up with every one soon.

Take Care!