Salt & Pepper Squid Recipe

If needed, rinse squid under cold water and pat dry with paper towels. Slice tubes into 1/2-inch wide rings and leave tentacles whole or halved if large. Place squid in a bowl and toss with 1 tsp sea salt, 1 tsp ground black pepper, and 1 tsp garlic powder. Refrigerate while you prepare the batter for 10–15 minutes to let seasoning penetrate.

Dry mix

In a medium bowl whisk together 1 cup all-purpose flour, 1/2 cup cornstarch, 1/4 cup rice flour (if using), and 1/2 tsp baking powder until evenly combined.

Wet mix

In a separate small bowl lightly whisk the egg white until frothy. Add 1 cup cold sparkling water (or ice water) to the egg white and stir briefly. Keep mixture very cold for a lighter batter.

Make the batter

Pour the wet mix into the dry mix and stir with a fork or chopsticks until just combined. The batter should be a little lumpy and fairly thin — it should coat the back of a spoon but drip easily. If too thick, add 1–2 tablespoons more cold water. Place 1/4 cup extra cornstarch or flour on a plate for dusting the squid before dipping (this helps the batter adhere).

Heat oil in a deep, heavy-bottomed pot or wok to 350°F (175°C). If you don't have a thermometer, test by dropping a small bit of batter into the oil — it should sizzle and rise steadily.

Working in small batches (to avoid crowding), dust the seasoned squid pieces lightly in the reserved cornstarch/flour, shaking off excess. Dip each piece into the batter, allowing excess to drip back into the bowl, then gently lower into the hot oil.

Fry rings and tentacles 2–3 minutes per batch until golden and crisp. Tentacles may cook slightly faster; remove them as soon as they turn light golden brown. Maintain oil temperature around 350°F by adjusting heat between batches.

Use a slotted spoon or spider to transfer fried squid to a wire rack set over a sheet pan or to paper towels to drain briefly. Do not stack fried pieces or they will steam and lose crispness. Keep finished batches warm in a 200°F (95°C) oven while you finish remaining squid, if desired.

Immediately after frying each batch, sprinkle the hot squid with coarse sea salt and freshly cracked pepper to taste (about 1 tsp of combined seasoning overall). Toss gently to distribute. If using, add thinly sliced chili and chopped cilantro and toss briefly.

Serve the salt & pepper squid hot with lime wedges on the side for squeezing. Optionally serve with a dipping sauce such as sweet chili sauce, mayonnaise with a squeeze of lime, or a soy-chili vinaigrette.