Salt & Pepper “Squid”

Name: Salt & Pepper “Squid” (Jiu Yim Sou Yau Yu)
Yield: Makes 2 to 3 servings
Cuisine: Chinese
Ingredients: ¾ cup [105 g] cornstarch; ¾ cup [105 g] all-purpose flour; ½ tsp white pepper powder; ¼ tsp Chinese five-spice powder; One 9 oz [255 g] package white konnyaku✿; 2 tsp salt, plus more to taste; 2 fresh or dried red chile peppers, seeded and chopped; 2 fresh or dried red chile peppers, seeded and chopped; 3 cups [720 ml] neutral oil; 2 garlic cloves, thinly sliced; One 14 oz [400 g] can whole artichoke hearts in brine, drained, halved, and placed on a clean dishcloth to absorb excess moisture; One 14 oz [400 g] can whole artichoke hearts in brine, drained, halved, and placed on a clean dishcloth to absorb excess moisture; 1 tsp kelp granules; 1½ cups [360 ml] ice-cold water; 1 scallion, finely chopped (optional); 2 fresh or dried red chile peppers, seeded and chopped

Jiu Yim Sou Yau Yu

Preparation info

Makes
2 to 3
servings

Difficulty
Easy

Appears in

Vibrant Hong Kong Table

By Christine Wong

Published 2024

About

Seafood is an integral part of the Hong Kong diet due to the city’s history as a fishing port and the surrounding South China Sea. The “fishy” and textural nature of konnyaku, a yam cake made from konjac, and the brininess of artichoke hearts make easy plant-based substitutes in this traditional squid recipe.

Ingredients

One 9 oz [255 g] package white konnyaku✿
2 tsp

Asia
Hong Kong (China)
Starter
Vegan

Method

Rinse the konnyaku and pat it dry, then cut it into ¼ in [6 mm] thick slices. With bamboo skewers resting on either side of a konnyaku slice, use a very sharp knife to make an accordion-style cut. Cut diagonal incisions as close together as possible, about ¼ in [6 mm] apart. The bamboo skewers help prevent you from cutting all the way through. Flip the konnyaku over, keeping it in between the s