Chilli Calamari with Watermelon and Cucumber Salad

MasterChef Australia

Method

1. Combine the rice wine vinegar, palm sugar, lime leaves and chilli, in a small saucepan, place over a medium-low heat and simmer for 15-20 minutes. Pour into a bowl and place in the fridge to chill. Once chilled strain into a clean bowl and add the lime zest, juice and fish sauce.

2. Combine the watermelon, red onion, lime leaves and herbs in a bowl, using clean hands carefully mix. Set aside in the fridge.

3. Heat the vegetable oil in a wok until hot enough to deep fry. Combine the flour, garlic and onion powders, paprika and chilli powder in a bowl and season with salt and pepper. Prepare the calamari tubes by slitting the tubes along one side to open, flat and scoring in a criss-cross pattern, cut into 4 parts. Coat the calamari in the chilli powder, dust off excess and deep-fry in batches, for 30-60 seconds, careful not to over cook, drain onto a plate lined with paper towel.

4. Pour the dressing over the prepared salad and carefully mix.

5. Spoon the salad onto a serving plate and top with the calamari to serve.

Ingredients

Lime dressing: 1 ½ cups rice wine vinegar, 135g Jeeny’s palm sugar, 2 fresh kaffir lime leaves, 1 small red chilli, halved lengthways, 2 limes, zest and juice, 2 tsp fish sauce

Salad: ½ watermelon flesh, large diced, ½ red onion, finely sliced, 3 fresh kaffir lime leaves, finely shredded, ½ cup coriander, leaves, ¼ cup mint leaves, torn, ¼ cup basil leaves, torn

Chilli powder: Vegetable oil, to deep-fry, 100g plain flour, 2 tbs garlic powder, 2 tbs onion powder, 2 tbs paprika, 1 tbs chilli powder, 1 tbs freshly ground black pepper, 1 tbs sea salt, 4 calamari tubes, cleaned