Squid Recipes Australia: Crispy Salt and Pepper Squid

This Australian-style salt and pepper squid is made with tender squid rings and tentacles tossed in a crisp, peppery rice-flour coating, then quickly fried and finished with lime. It is a familiar seafood-bar and home-cooking favourite in Australia, with versions that vary in their pepper, chilli and garnish; this recipe keeps the method straightforward and the squid light rather than heavily battered.

Ingredients

1½ lb (680 g) cleaned squid tubes and tentacles, fresh or thawed
½ cup (64 g) cornflour or cornstarch
¼ cup (40 g) rice flour
1 tsp (2 g) whole Sichuan peppercorns
½ tsp (1 g) freshly ground black pepper
1 tsp (5 g) fine salt, plus ¼ tsp (1 g) for finishing
4 cups (950 ml) neutral frying oil, such as canola or sunflower oil; the amount needed depends on your pan
2 spring onions (about 30 g), finely sliced
1 small red chilli (about 10 g), thinly sliced, optional
2 garlic cloves (about 6 g), finely chopped
1 lime (about 60 g), cut into wedges

Instructions

Prepare the squid. If using whole cleaned tubes, check inside each one and remove any remaining cartilage or membrane. Pat the squid very dry with paper towel; surface moisture makes the oil spit and prevents the coating from crisping. Slice the tubes into rings about ½ inch (1 cm) wide. Leave small tentacles whole, or cut large clusters into manageable pieces. If the squid is frozen, thaw it overnight in the refrigerator and drain it well before starting.
Make the pepper seasoning. Put the Sichuan peppercorns in a dry frying pan over medium heat and toast for about 1 minute, shaking the pan often, until fragrant. Tip them onto a plate to cool, then crush them with a mortar and pestle or the bottom of a heavy pan. Mix with the black pepper and 1 teaspoon of fine salt. Sichuan pepper has a citrusy, gently numbing quality; if it is unavailable, use an extra ½ teaspoon of black pepper instead for a more direct, less aromatic heat.
Mix the coating. In a wide bowl, stir together the cornflour, rice flour and about half of the pepper-and-salt mixture. Keep the remaining seasoning aside for the hot squid. Separate any squid pieces stuck together, then add the squid to the flour mixture in two batches. Toss until each piece has a thin, even coating, shaking off loose excess. A light coat crisps better than a thick paste.
Heat the oil. Pour the oil into a heavy, deep-sided saucepan or wok, filling it no more than halfway. Heat over medium-high heat for about 6–8 minutes, aiming for 350°F (175°C). If you do not have a thermometer, drop in a pinch of coating: it should bubble straight away and rise to the surface without darkening immediately. Keep the pan stable, leave room above the oil and keep water away from it.
Fry in small batches. Carefully lower a handful of squid into the oil, using tongs or a slotted spoon. Fry for about 1–2 minutes, turning once, until the coating is crisp and pale golden. Do not crowd the pan; too many pieces at once lower the oil temperature and can make the coating greasy. For food safety, check the thickest squid piece with a food thermometer: USDA FSIS guidance gives 145°F (63°C) as the safe minimum internal temperature for seafood. If it has not reached that temperature, continue frying briefly and check again. Transfer cooked squid to a wire rack set over a tray, rather than stacking it on paper towel.
Finish the batches and garnish. Let the oil return to 350°F (175°C) between batches and repeat with the remaining squid. Frying in three or four batches should take about 5–6 minutes in total. As each batch comes out, sprinkle it with some of the reserved pepper seasoning while it is hot. In the final 20–30 seconds, fry the garlic briefly until just fragrant, then lift it out with a slotted spoon; avoid letting it turn dark, which makes it bitter.
Serve straight away. Scatter the squid with spring onion, chilli if using, and the crisp garlic. Add the remaining ¼ teaspoon of salt only if needed, and serve with lime wedges. The coating is at its best immediately after frying, while it is crisp and the squid is still tender.

Tips

Dry the squid thoroughly. This is the most useful step for reducing splatter and getting an even, crunchy coating. If thawed squid releases more liquid as you work, pat it dry again before tossing it in flour.
Use a thermometer for the oil and the squid. Oil that is too cool gives a greasy result; oil that is too hot browns the coating before the squid is ready. A thermometer also lets you check the seafood’s safe minimum temperature without relying on colour alone.
Choose a sensible substitute for rice flour. If you cannot find rice flour, use another ¼ cup (32 g) cornflour. The result will still crisp, but the coating may feel a little more starchy and less delicate. In Australia, cornflour usually means cornstarch; check the packet if buying an imported product.
Keep the coating light and fry in batches. A thick coating can turn pasty, and overcrowding cools the oil. If the squid has to wait briefly between batches, leave it uncovered on the rack so steam can escape rather than covering it with foil.

Serving Suggestions

Serve salt and pepper squid as soon as it is cooked, with lime wedges for squeezing over the top. A small bowl of mayonnaise, aioli or sweet chilli sauce makes an easy dip, but keep the sauce on the side so it does not soften the coating. For a more substantial meal, pair it with chips, a green salad, steamed rice or a simple slaw dressed with lime and a little oil.

For a shared seafood spread, put the squid on a warm platter with the spring onion and chilli scattered over it, and place extra lime at the table. It also works as a starter before grilled fish or prawns. If serving several dishes, fry the squid last: it loses its crunch while sitting, so it is better brought straight from the stove to the table than held warm for a long time.

Variations

Make it milder: Omit the chilli and reduce the Sichuan peppercorns to ½ teaspoon (1 g). Keep the black pepper for the savoury flavour, or add more lime at the table for brightness without extra heat.
Add a little five-spice: Mix ¼ teaspoon (about 1 g) Chinese five-spice into the flour. It adds warm anise and cinnamon notes, so use a small amount to avoid overpowering the squid.
Use a chilli-salt finish: Stir ¼ teaspoon (1 g) chilli flakes into the reserved pepper seasoning. Sprinkle it over the squid after frying rather than putting it in the hot oil, where flakes can burn.
Try a shallow-fried version: Use a broad, heavy pan and enough oil to cover the base by about ½ inch (1 cm), then turn the pieces as they cook. Fry smaller batches and expect a slightly less even crust than with deep-frying; keep the same temperature and thermometer checks.

Storage and Reheating

Salt and pepper squid is best eaten immediately, because the crisp coating softens as it sits. Refrigerate leftovers within 2 hours of cooking in a shallow, covered container. For best texture, use them within 1–2 days; cooked seafood is generally kept refrigerated for 3–4 days, but the coating will continue to lose its crunch. Do not leave cooked squid at room temperature for more than 2 hours, or more than 1 hour in very hot conditions above 90°F (32°C).

To reheat, arrange the squid in a single layer on a baking tray and warm it in a 375°F (190°C) oven or air fryer until hot throughout and crisping again. Turn once if needed, and check that leftovers reach 165°F (74°C), the USDA FSIS safe reheating temperature. The exact time depends on the size and quantity; begin checking after about 5 minutes. Avoid the microwave if you want to preserve the crisp coating, as it tends to make it soft and chewy. Freeze leftovers only if necessary, knowing the coating will be less crisp after thawing and reheating.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do I stop squid from becoming tough?

Cut the squid into evenly sized pieces and cook it quickly in hot oil, in small batches. Long cooking can make squid tough, while a crowded pan lowers the oil temperature and encourages it to cook slowly. Keep each batch brief, but still check the thickest piece with a thermometer and meet the safe minimum temperature.

Can I use frozen squid?

Yes. Thaw it in the refrigerator, drain away the liquid and pat it very dry before coating. Frozen squid is often sold cleaned and ready to cut, which saves preparation time. Avoid thawing it on the counter, and do not coat it while it is icy or wet because the flour will clump and the oil may splatter.

Can I make the coating ahead?

You can mix the dry flours and seasonings a day ahead and keep them in a sealed container at room temperature. For the crispest result, wait to coat the squid until the oil is nearly hot, then fry promptly. If coated squid sits for a long time, moisture can seep into the flour and create a damp, uneven crust.

What can I use instead of Sichuan pepper?

Use an extra ½ teaspoon (1 g) of black pepper, or try a pinch of ground white pepper. Black pepper gives a familiar warmth, while white pepper is earthier; neither has Sichuan pepper’s citrus-like aroma or gentle tingling sensation. The recipe still works without Sichuan pepper, so there is no need to change the cooking method.

Can I cook this without deep-frying?

Shallow-frying is the closest alternative: use a heavy pan with enough oil to cover the base generously and turn each piece as it cooks. An air fryer can also brown a lightly oiled coating, but the texture will not be exactly the same as oil-fried squid. Whichever method you choose, avoid crowding and check the thickest piece reaches 145°F (63°C).

How do I know when squid is cooked?

The coating should be crisp and pale golden, and the flesh should look opaque. Appearance and timing are useful cues but do not confirm a safe temperature, so check the thickest piece with a food thermometer and cook seafood to 145°F (63°C). Small rings can be difficult to probe; choose a thicker piece for the check, and return it to the pan briefly if needed.

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Safety notes: safe minimum internal temperatures from USDA FSIS; raw and undercooked fish guidance from the U.S. FDA. Food safety notes

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