This succulent and tender way to cook fresh calamari only takes 40 seconds. Clean and score the calamari well and you’ll be rewarded with something quite special. Cook the Sichuan peppercorns in a small skillet above heat until they begin to smoke and become fragrant, then grind the peppercorns in a mortar and pestle.
 
Prep time: 10 minutes
Cooking time: 10 minutes for the Sichuan pepper, 40 seconds for the calamari
Serves: 4
 
Ingredients
2 medium calamari tubes
 
Flour dusting mix
1 cup plain flour
½ cup rice flour
1 tsp fine salt
1 tsp ground white pepper
 
Combine the above ingredients well in a bowl.
 
Seasoning mix
1 tsp ground roasted Sichuan pepper
1 tblsp salt flakes
1 tblsp white sugar
 
Combine well and place into a small dish.
 
How to make it …
Heat a small deepfryer or a wok, half-filled with vegetable oil, until the oil is heated to 185ºC.
 
Cut open the calamari tube and lay flat. Use a sharp knife to make shallow incisions into the inside of the calamari about 5mm apart - make sure that you do not cut all the way through. Then, cut the other way until you have a fine criss-cross pattern on one side.
 
Cut into strips that are 2cm wide and 6cm long.
 
Lightly dust the strips in the flour mix. Shake to remove excess flour, then carefully immerse into the hot oil. Gently move around and fry for 40 seconds.
 
Remove from the oil and drain on kitchen paper. Dust with the seasoning mix and serve immediately.