Squid and rice noodle salad
Fried squid is served with a rice salad packed with amazing flavours.
Ingredients
For the chilli paste
- 2 long red chillies
- 30g/1oz garlic
- 50²µ/1¾´Ç³ú ginger
- 50ml/2fl oz rice wine vinegar
- 50²µ/1¾´Ç³ú caster sugar
- 15²µ/½´Ç³ú sea salt
- 25ml/1fl oz vegetable oil
- 1 tbsp chilli sauce
- 100ml/3½fl oz fish sauce
- handful fresh curry leaves
- 2 tsp black pepper
For the rice noodle salad
- 1 lime, juice only
- 25g/1oz palm sugar
- 1 red chilli, chopped
- 30ml/1fl oz fish sauce
- 1 lemongrass stalk
- 2 lime leaves
- handful fresh mint leaves
- handful Thai basil leaves
- handful Chinese chives
- 200g/7oz rice noodles, cooked
For the cauliflower and beansprout fritters
- vegetable oil, for deep frying
- 200g/7oz gram flour
- 50²µ/1¾´Ç³ú cornflour
- 30g/1oz garam masala
- 2 red chillies, very finely chopped
- 6 green cardamom pods, crushed
- pinch salt
- 100²µ/3½´Ç³ú cauliflower florets
- 200g/7oz beansprouts
For the squid
- 100ml/3½fl oz vegetable oil
- 1kg/2lb 4oz squid cleaned and cut into rings, including tentacles (or 400g/14oz of fresh, cleaned squid meat)
- 50²µ/1¾´Ç³ú ginger, cut into very thin strips
- 50²µ/1¾´Ç³ú sambal
- handful coriander leaves, to serve
Method
To make the chilli paste, combine all the ingredients in a food processor until it forms a smooth paste. Transfer to a bowl and add the squid. Leave to marinate while you make the salad and fritters.
For the noodle salad, first make the dressing. In a pestle and mortar pound together the lime juice, palm sugar, chilli and fish sauce. Shred all the herbs very, very finely and then mix with the dressing. Pour the mixture over the cooked noodles.
For the fritters, heat the vegetable oil in a deep-fat fryer to 180C. Alternatively, pour the vegetable oil into a deep, heavy-based pan so that it reaches two-thirds of the way up the pan and heat until a breadcrumb dropped in sizzles and turns brown in 30 seconds. (CAUTION: Hot oil can be dangerous. Do not leave unattended.)
Mix the gram flour and cornflour with enough water to make a batter. Add the garam masala, chillies and cardamom. Whisk to make a smooth paste and season with salt.
Blanch the cauliflower florets in boiling water for 1 minute, then drain and rinse in cold water. Wash and drain the beansprouts well.
Take half the beansprouts, and all the cauliflower and coat them in the batter. Carefully deep-fry them in batches, turning them to ensure even cooking. Cook until just brown. Remove and drain on kitchen paper.
For the squid, heat 100ml/3½fl oz oil in a wok and add the squid. Let it sizzle for a minute then add the ginger and sambal. Cook until toasted and fragrant.
Put a little rice noodle salad on each plate, add the squid and fritters to the side and dress the plate with the chilli sauce. Scatter over the coriander leaves and remaining beansprouts.
