Ingredients

Squid

• 1 kg squid

Batter

• 2 tbsp rice flour or corn flour
• 1 1/2 tbsp corn flour
• 2 egg whites
• 1 tbsp iced water
• 1 red chili finely chopped
• 1 tsp sea salt
• pinch white pepper
• 1 tsp five spice
• 3 tbsp coriander, chopped

To Cook

• oil for deep frying

Pak Choi

• 600g Pak Choi, bottoms trimmed and washed
• 1 garlic clove, finely chopped
• 2 tsp ginger, peeled and finely chopped
• 1 tbps sesame oil
• 2 tbsp soy sauce

Rice Stick Noodles

• 300g rice stick noodles
• 1 tbsp coriander, finely chopped
• 6 sprigs garlic chives, finely chopped
• 1 tbsp sesame oil
• 1 tbsp chili oil
• 1 tbsp rice vinegar
• 2 tbsp soy sauce

To Serve

• 3 tbsp spring onion, finely chopped
• 2 large red chili, 1 diced and 1 sliced into 12 pieces to garnish
• 3 tbsp coriander leaves
• deep fried slices of lotus root, fresh or canned lotus root, peeled and finely sliced, deep fried until crisp and drained on kitchen paper. (Optional)

Method

1. Squid: Clean the squid, remove the quell, innards, beak and eyes, and peel off the outer skin. Cut the squid bodies so that they are laid out flat. Make criss cross cuts in the inside part of the body. Cut the squid into squares and triangles 3-4 cm long. Leave the tentacles whole and set aside while you prepare the batter.
2. Batter: Place the corn flour, salt, pepper and five spice in a bowl. Make a well in the centre of the flour and add the egg white and water. Gradually mix into the flour, until you have a smooth batter. Stir in the chili and coriander and set aside until ready to cook.
3. To Cook: Preheat oil in a deep fryer or wok to 180°C. Place the rice flour or corn flour on a plate and coat the squid in it, then dip the squid into the batter so that it is well coated. Deep fry the squid in batches for 2 minutes, so that they are crisp and golden, remove from the deep fryer and drain them on kitchen paper. Keep the squid warm while you cook the remaining squid.
4. Pak Choi: Bring some water to the boil in a steamer or in a wok with a steaming basket. Place the pak choi on a plate, mix the garlic, ginger, sesame oil and soy sauce together in a container, and pour this over the pak choi. Place the pak choi in the steaming basket or steamer and leave it to cook for 3-5 minutes until tender. Keep the pak choi covered and warm until ready to serve.
5. Rice Stick Noodles: Bring some water to the boil in a large saucepan and add the noodles. Allow them to cook at a steady simmer for 3 minutes until just tender. Drain the noodles and place them in a bowl. Add the garlic, chives, sesame oil, chili oil, rice vinegar and soy sauce, toss the noodles so that they are well coated. Set aside and keep warm until ready to serve.
6. To Serve: Distribute the pak choi among 6 plates by placing it in the centre and place the noodles on the pak choi. Garnish the noodles with a couple of slices of chili and deep fried lotus root. Distribute the squid around the noodles and sprinkle it with the chili and coriander leaves. Serve