Hot butter squid

Instructions

1. Step 1

   Heat 125ml of the oil in a small wok or pan over a medium heat. Add the onions and fry until crisp and brown, then remove with a slotted spoon and drain on paper towels

2. Step 2

   Reduce the heat to low, add the ginger and garlic to the oil and cook until golden brown, about 5 minutes, then remove with a slotted spoon and drain with the onions

3. Step 3

   Finally, add the shrimps and Maldive fish flakes and fry for 5 seconds more, then remove and drain. Once all the fried ingredients have cooled to room temperature, transfer to a blender and pulse a few times to make a coarse paste. If you prefer the end result to be chunky, you can skip this step and leave the aromatics whole

4. Step 4

   Add the remaining 125ml oil to the pan. Add the paste back to the pan along with the chilli flakes and cook well for 30 seconds, being careful not to burn the delicate chilli flakes as they will turn bitter

5. Step 5

   Finally add the sugar, soy sauce and salt, mix well and taste. Adjust the levels of sugar and soy to your taste. Store in an airtight jar in the fridge

6. Step 6

   Combine the squid with the turmeric, ¼ tsp black peppercorns and ¼ tsp salt. Cover and refrigerate for 30 minutes

7. Step 7

   Place a small pan over a medium heat and add the butter. Once melted, add the garlic and ginger and cook until aromatic, about 1 minute. Add the onion and banana chilli and continue to cook until light brown and just softened, about 2 minutes. Add the vinegar, 1 tsp chilli paste, a large pinch of salt and the remaining crushed black peppercorns and cook for 30 seconds. Remove from the heat

8. Step 8

   Preheat a deep pan or wok over a high heat with oil for deep-frying

9. Step 9

   Meanwhile, combine the cornflour, self-raising flour, a large pinch of salt and the soda water to form a thin batter. Dip the squid into the batter and fry for 60–90 seconds, until the  batter is crisp and golden. Remove with a slotted spoon and drain on a plate lined with paper towels

10. Step 10

    After about 30 seconds, transfer to the pan with the butter sauce, toss well to coat and add the green chillies, cooking over medium heat for 1 minute. Garnish with spring onions and serve immediately