Salt and pepper squid and prawns

This is a very simple dish that really when you think about it is just about as perfect as you can get, take away the pretense of what cooking can be and just strip it down to what it should be. You can use just prawns, or all squid, chicken beef whatever you so with really but it is the salt and peppers that give this that lift that bight and flavour.   

You will need

750g/1½lb squid and king prawns 50/50 mix, cleaned and shelled.

½tsp coarse ground black peppercorns

½tsp coarse ground sichuan peppercorns

1 tsp sea salt flakes

1-2 tbsp sunflower oil

1 medium-hot red finger chilli

1 garlic clove  

3 spring onions, sliced

A handful bean sprouts

A dash of sesame oil

A Dash of dark soy sauce

Start by slice and de-seeding your chilli then slicing the garlic nice and thin. Then cut the spring onions in to a nice diagonal cross cut. And that is about it as far as preparation goes.

Now get the wok on the heat, now add the pepper and just for a few moments dry fry the pepper to get the spice working. Once you have done this take it of the heat remove all the pepper and wipe the wok clean.

Now get the wok back on the heat and add the oil. Once that is hot add the garlic and the chilli once that has cooked for a moment then add the seafood. Cook the seafood so it has just stated to cook then add the salt and dry fried peppers. Toss everything together until the seafood is cooked, and then in with the bean spout and spring onions. Just cook them until they are lightly wilted then take out of the wok and serve on a plate

Now just drizzle a little sesame oil and dark soy sauce over the dish as a dressing and you are done. As I said at the start of this it is the simplicity of this dish that is its beauty, the classic seasoning of salt and pepper, perfect.