CRISPY SQUID IN SALTED EGG YOLKS
I love salted eggs. I can eat them just boiled with Congee (here ) or with Sambal Belacan (here ) and white rice. When I first travelled back to Malaysia after moving here, my best friend Diana took me to a seafood restaurant where they served this dish. On my return I immediately set about recreating it – it really takes deep-fried squid to a new (and very delicious) level.
Serves 4
2 salted eggs
500ml vegetable oil, plus 2 tbsp oil for frying the egg yolks
350g fresh squid, cleaned and cut into 1.5cm rings
1 stalk of fresh curry leaves, leaves stripped
For the batter
45g tapioca flour
50g plain flour
1 tsp chicken stock powder
½ tsp caster sugar
30g butter, melted
½ tsp bicarbonate of soda
1 tsp baking powder
150ml cold water
Mix all the ingredients for the batter together in a bowl and set it aside to rest for 20 minutes.
Bring a small saucepan of water to the boil, add the salted eggs and simmer for 15 minutes. Lift them out with a slotted spoon and leave to cool. Peel away the shells, cut the eggs open and extract the yolks. Discard the whites. Mash the egg yolks in a bowl with a fork and set aside.
Heat the vegetable oil in a wok or deep saucepan. To test if the oil is hot enough, carefully drop a little of the batter in the oil and if it sizzles vigorously and floats to the top, the oil is ready. Pat the squid dry with kitchen paper. Mix the squid into the batter and stir to make sure they are well coated. Line a baking tray with kitchen paper, ready for the fried squid.
Fry the squid in batches, dropping them into the oil gently and carefully, making sure they don’t touch each other. Fry for 3–4 minutes, until they are crispy and golden. Be careful not to overcrowd the pan.
Remove with a slotted spoon and transfer them to the paper-lined tray.
Heat 2 tablespoons of oil in a wok, then add the mashed egg yolks and curry leaves. Fry the egg yolks for around a minute, until they are foamy. Working quickly, add the squid to the wok and toss well, making sure the egg mixture coats the squid. Remove from the heat and serve immediately.
TIP: You can use frozen squid, but make sure they are thoroughly defrosted and pat them dry before coating them in the batter.
