Chilli & five-spice squid

Yum cha etiquette 101: When not using your chopsticks, place them together balancing on the edges of your bowl, not inside it.

• serves

  10

• prep

  40 minutes

• cook

  10 minutes

• difficulty

  Mid

Ingredients

• 8 (about 1.2 kg) squid, cleaned, skin removed, tentacles trimmed
• 45 g (⅓ cup) self-raising flour
• 1½ tsp dried chilli flakes
• 1 tsp five-spice powder
• vegetable oil, to deep-fry

Chilli sesame mayonnaise

• 300 g (1 cup) mayonnaise
• 1 tsp sesame oil
• 1 tsp dried chilli flakes

Instructions

To make mayonnaise, combine all ingredients in a bowl, cover and refrigerate until needed.

Score squid and cut into triangles. Combine flour, 1½ tbsp salt, chilli flakes and five-spice powder in a bowl and set aside.

Fill a deep-fryer or large saucepan one-third full with oil and heat over medium heat to 180°C (or until a cube of bread turns golden in 10 seconds). Working in batches, coat squid in flour mixture, shaking off excess, then gently drop into oil and fry for 1 minute or until crisp and golden. Remove with a slotted spoon and drain on paper towel. Serve immediately with chilli sesame mayonnaise.

Photography Chris Chen

Cook's Notes

Oven temperatures are for conventional; if using fan-forced (convection), reduce the temperature by 20˚C. | We use Australian tablespoons and cups: 1 teaspoon equals 5 ml; 1 tablespoon equals 20 ml; 1 cup equals 250 ml. | All herbs are fresh (unless specified) and cups are lightly packed. | All vegetables are medium size and peeled, unless specified. | All eggs are 55-60 g, unless specified.