Sichuan Pepper-Numbing Squid Flowers
A Zhejiang-style seafood cold dish of fresh squid scored into flower shapes, tossed with celery and dressed in a Sichuan pepper sauce. Tender and crisp with a richly aromatic, numbing finish.
Ingredients
Fresh squid meat (washed, patted dry, scored with cross pattern then cut into small pieces)
480 g
Celery (strings removed, cut lengthwise then diagonally into long pieces, blanched in boiling water and drained)
1
Salt (for celery seasoning)
1/8 tsp
Sesame oil (for celery seasoning)
a pinch
Salt (for squid seasoning)
1/4 tsp
White pepper powder (for squid seasoning)
a pinch
Sichuan peppercorns (crushed into powder, mixed with the rest of the sauce ingredients)
1 tsp
Minced ginger (sauce)
2 tsp
Minced scallion (sauce)
2 tbsp
Stock (sauce)
2/3 tsp
Vinegar (sauce)
1 tsp
Sesame oil (sauce)
1 tsp
Light soy sauce (sauce)
2 tbsp
Hot water (sauce)
2 tbsp
Instructions
1
Step 1
First crush the Sichuan peppercorns into a powder, mix evenly with the remaining sauce ingredients, and set aside.
2
Step 2
Wash the fresh squid meat, pat it dry, score a cross pattern on the surface, and cut into small pieces.
3
Step 3
Remove the strings from the celery, cut it lengthwise and then diagonally into long strips. Blanch in a pot of boiling water until just tender, remove and drain, then toss with the celery seasoning.
4
Step 4
Hold the squid in a large-hole strainer and dip it into boiling water or stock until the scored squid flowers curl slightly. Lift out, drain well, and toss with the squid seasoning.
5
Step 5
Arrange the celery on a serving plate, place the curled squid flowers on top, and at the table drizzle the pepper-numbing sauce over and toss to coat before eating.
