Salt and Pepper Crispy Fried Squid Salad

Let's start with the squid. In a bowl, mix the cornflour, pepper, and salt. Toss the squid in this mix until it's well coated. This is an important step as cornflour gives your squid that desired crisp texture when fried. Make sure each piece of squid is coated enough to achieve this.

Heat the oil in a deep frying pan over medium-high heat. Fry the squid in batches, making sure not to overcrowd the pan. This ensures that the squid cooks evenly and gets nice and crispy. It should take around 3-4 minutes for each batch. Once golden brown, remove the squid using a slotted spoon and drain on a paper towel.

For the salad, combine the mixed greens, cucumber, carrots, bell pepper, and cilantro in a large bowl. Keeping the veggies thinly sliced and julienned not only makes the salad easier to eat but also presents it beautifully.

In a small bowl, whisk together the olive oil, lemon juice, soy sauce, sugar, and crushed red pepper flakes to make the dressing. The subtle heat from the red pepper flakes contrasts with the cool salad and complements the spicy squid perfectly.

Pour the dressing over the salad and toss gently until everything is evenly coated.

Divide the salad among 4 plates and top each with a generous portion of the fried squid.

Your Salt and Pepper Squid Salad is ready! This dish tastes best when served immediately after the squid has been fried to maintain its crispness. Enjoy this tantalizing combination of textures and flavors!