Deep Fried Squid with Lemon Mayonnaise

Perfect nibbles – Salt and Pepper Squid served with Lemon Mayonnaise Dip

Salt and pepper squid is a popular “pub food”. It easily cost S$10 for a small basket if you order it at a pub, but you get more for less than half the price if you do it at home. This is incredibly simple and requires minimal ingredients. Besides the squid, I already have the rest of the ingredients in my pantry because they are common pantry stock (salt, pepper, flour, lemons, mayonnaise, cooking oil). This version is the light batter type.

Ingredients
(Serves 2)

Recipe adapted from Women’s Weekly’s Midweek Meals in Minutes

Deep Fried Squid
– 1 medium squid (about 300g)
– 40-50g plain flour (or corn flour for a heavier/crispier batter)
– sea salt and pepper
– vegetable oil, for deep frying

Lemon Mayonnaise
– 3 tbsp mayonnaise
– 1/2 tsp lemon zest
– 1/2 tbsp lemon juice
– 1/2 tbsp boiling water

Directions

1. Mix ingredients for lemon mayonnaise in a small bowl until well combined. Set aside.
2. Clean the squid by laying it flat on the chopping board and gently pulling out the head in one horizontal direction. Empty the cavity of the squid. Wash it clean. I discarded the head (up to you) except for a small portion of the tentacles. Slice the squid to thin rings.
3. Place cut squid into a shallow but wide dish (I used a roasting tray). Season squid with salt and pepper, then add flour. Toss squid to evenly coat squid in the flour (add more if needed); shake off excess.
4. Heat oil to 180C (356F) in wok/large saucepan/deep fryer and deep fry squid in batches until tender and browned lightly (takes about 3 minutes for me). If you have some lumpy batter left, you can also deep fry them for some crispy bits. Drain on absorbent paper.
5. Serve warm with a lemon wedge and the lemon mayonnaise dip you prepared in step 1.

Cooking Notes and Variations

– Do not overcook squid as they will become tough and chewy.
– You can also use 300g squid hoods/baby squid instead.
– You can add some freshly chopped parsley or chopped dill to the dip.
– You can add 1 tsp of curry/chilli powder for that extra kick.

Perfect Finger Food