Serves 4
- 50g cornflour
- 1 tbsp. ground coriander
- 1 ½ tsp cayenne pepper
- 2 teaspoons ground cumin
- 1 tsp ground allspice
- 1 tsp salt
- ½ tsp freshly ground black pepper
- 700g squid, cleaned
- vegetable oil for frying
Taken from the Comptoir Libanais Express cookbook.
Measure the cornflour and spices into a sealable container, then add the salt and pepper. Cut the squid into rough rectangles, each about 3 x 5cm. Score one side in a criss-cross pattern. Drop the squid into the container, put the lid on then give it a good shake. if you don’t have a container, use a large bowl and put a plate on top.
Pour enough oil into a pan until its a couple of centimetres deep. Heat the oil over a medium heat until it’s hot. You can check its ready by dropping a pinch of flour into it — it should sizzle madly. Cover a baking tray with a couple of sheets of kitchen paper.
Lower the squid carefully into the hot oil, cooking three or four pieces at a time. Depending on how thick each piece is, they’ll take no more than 30-40 seconds in total. Flip them over once they’re golden on one side and cook until they have an even colour all over. Lift out with a slotted spoon and sprinkle with salt to serve.