Hot butter squid recipe
Packed with warming spices and bright, zingy flavours, this hot butter squid recipe was created by Karan Gokani, co-founder and creative director of London-based Sri Lankan restaurant Hoppers.
He says: "This could well be one of the most addictive things you’ve ever eaten. It’s essentially fried squid taken to the next level, and it’s not hard to see why this is one of Sri Lanka’s favourite snacks. Like fritters or tempura, this dish is best eaten just out of the fryer, so make sure you have hot plates ready and don’t wait around too long."
Please note: In addition to the ingredients listed, you will need enough oil to deep-fry your squid in.
Ingredients
- 250 g squid, cleaned well and cut into 1cm (½in) rings
- 0.5 tsp ground turmeric
- 1 tsp black peppercorns, crushed
- 0.2 tsp salt
- 30 g unsalted butter
- 0.8 tbsp minced garlic
- 0.8 tbsp minced ginger
- 165 g ed onion (approx. 1 medium onion), cut into 5mm (¼in) thick slices
- 1 banana pepper or green pepper, deseeded and cut into 5mm (¼in) thick strips
- 2 tsp white wine vinegar
- 1 tsp chilli paste
- 70 g cornflour (cornstarch)
- 60 g self-raising (self-rising) flour
- 200 ml soda water
- 1 green chilli, finely chopped
- 2 spring onions (scallions), finely chopped
Details
- Cuisine: Sri Lankan
- Recipe Type: Starter
- Difficulty: Medium
- Preparation Time: 30 mins
- Cooking Time: 10 mins
- Serves: 4
Step-by-step
- Combine the squid with the turmeric, ¼ tsp black peppercorns and ¼ tsp salt. Cover and refrigerate for 30 minutes.
- Place a small pan over a medium heat and add the butter. Once melted, add the garlic and ginger and cook until aromatic (about 1 minute). Add the onion and banana chilli and continue to cook until light brown and just softened (about 2 minutes). Add the vinegar, chilli paste, a large pinch of salt and the remaining crushed black peppercorns and cook for 30 seconds. Remove from the heat.
- Preheat a deep pan or wok over a high heat with oil for deep-frying. Meanwhile, combine the cornflour (cornstarch), self-raising (self-rising) flour, a large pinch of salt and the soda water to form a thin batter. Dip the squid into the batter and fry for 60-90 seconds, until the batter is crisp and golden. Remove with a slotted spoon and drain on a plate lined with paper towels. After about 30 seconds, transfer to the pan with the butter sauce, toss well to coat and add the green chillis, cooking over medium heat for 1 minute. Garnish with spring onions (scallions) and serve immediately.
Recipe extracted from HOPPERS: The Cookbook by Karan Gokani (Quadrille, £28). Photography by Ryan Wijayaratne.
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