Ask a Chef reveals the secrets of those superb dishes you ate in cafes and restaurants and wanted to try yourself.
Photo: Peter McIntosh
Ombrellos' salt and pepper squid
Serves 4
Ingredients
4 squid tubes
milk
Spice mix
100g cornflour
100g rice flour
8g white pepper
18g salt
4g chilli powder
16g paprika
Coleslaw
1 cup green cabbage
¼ cup red cabbage
½ red onion
1 carrot
Dressing
½ bunch coriander
1 knob grated ginger
1Tblsp crushed garlic
1 red chilli de-seeded and finely chopped
2 Tblsp lemon juice
2 Tblsp fish sauce
½ cup brown sugar
½ cup water
Method
Spice mix
Mix all dry ingredients together.
Coleslaw
Finely shred the cabbage and onion, grate the carrot and mix well.
Dressing
Add all ingredients to a blender and blend.
Mix some of the dressing through the coleslaw and mound in the middle of the plate.
Squid
Top and tail squid tubes and cut down the length of one side to open up.
Score the tubes in a criss-cross pattern on both sides. Cut each tube in to 3 triangles.
Bathe in milk for a few seconds, remove and quickly drain, then toss them in the spice mix.
Deep fry at 180degC for 4 minutes until crispy and golden.
Place in the mound of coleslaw.
Optional: Drizzle chilli honey around the plate and finish with spicy nuts.
Note: This is a very basic version of this dish. We have omitted the chilli nuts and honey recipes as we don't want to put people off trying it home.
Recipe requested by Liz Luscombe, Dunedin. Recipe provided by Ombrellos, Dunedin.
If you have enjoyed a dish in an Otago cafe or restaurant and would like the recipe, write to Ask a Chef, Features, Otago Daily Times, PO Box 517, Dunedin, fax 474-7422, or email odt.features@odt.co.nz, including your name, address and a daytime telephone number, and we will request it.
