Recipe Andre Da Silveria, elizabeth cafe. Images Brydie Thompson
Andre’s take on salt and pepper squid uses kosher salt. Kosher salt is a coarser salt than table salt (can be found at Vetro but you can also replace it with a flaky sea salt).
1kg squid tube
½–1 cup tapioca flour
1–2 tsp kosher salt
1–2 tsp Szechuan peppercorn, crushed
1 daikon
2 green pears (unpeeled)
2 green apples (unpeeled)
2 carrots (peeled)
Juice of 2 limes
Kewpie mayo
Okonomiyaki sauce (Asian store)
½ cup peanuts, crushed
2 tbsp mixed sesame seeds
Ponzu dressing
¾ cup ponzu (Asian store)
3 tbsp pure sesame oil
5 tbsp soy sauce
2 tsp mirin
For garnish
Mix of spring onion, mint, Thai basil, coriander, Vietnamese mint
2 red chillies, finely sliced
Cut squid down one side to open out flat, with the inside of the tube facing up. Score the squid with a knife at 45 degree angles, making sure not to cut through squid. Cut squid into strips of about 3cm wide. Set aside.
Julienne daikon, unpeeled pears and apples and peeled carrots and then squeeze lime juice over salad to prevent fruit from browning. Set aside.
For ponzu dressing simply add all ingredients in a bowl and mix it thoroughly.
To assemble the dish, start by spooning kewpie mayo on the plate. In a salad bowl, mix all julienne salad and dress it with the ponzu dressing. Put a handful on each plate. Coat squid in a dusting of tapioca flour, then deep fry for about 2 minutes at 175°C. Season squid with Szechuan pepper and kosher salt, then place on top of the daikon salad.
Garnish salad with a drizzle of Okonomiyaki sauce, peanuts, mixed herbs and chili.
Bon appetit!
