🦑 Crispy Fried Calamari
🛒 Ingredients
-
1 lb fresh squid (cleaned, sliced into rings)
-
1 cup buttermilk (or regular milk)
-
1 cup all-purpose flour
-
½ cup cornstarch
-
1 tsp salt
-
1 tsp black pepper
-
1 tsp paprika
-
½ tsp garlic powder
-
Oil for frying (vegetable or canola)
-
Lemon wedges (for serving)
Optional Dipping Sauce
-
½ cup mayonnaise
-
2 tbsp ketchup
-
1 tsp lemon juice
-
Dash hot sauce
👩🍳 Instructions
1️⃣ Prep the Squid
-
If whole, remove head, innards, and clear quill.
-
Slice tubes into ½-inch rings.
-
Pat dry with paper towels.
2️⃣ Soak
-
Soak squid in buttermilk for 20–30 minutes (tenderizes).
3️⃣ Coat
-
Mix flour, cornstarch, salt, pepper, paprika, garlic powder.
-
Remove squid from milk and dredge in flour mixture.
4️⃣ Fry
-
Heat oil to 350–375°F.
-
Fry in small batches 1½–2 minutes until light golden.
-
Do NOT overcook (gets rubbery).
-
Drain on paper towels.
5️⃣ Serve
-
Sprinkle with salt.
-
Serve immediately with lemon and dipping sauce.
🖼️ What It Should Look Like
-
Light golden, crispy rings
-
Slightly curled shape
-
Tender white inside
-
Garnished with parsley and lemon wedges
If you’d like, I can also give you:
-
🧄 Garlic butter sautéed squid
-
🍅 Mediterranean tomato squid
-
🌶️ Spicy grilled squid
-
🍲 Squid in coconut curry
Just tell me your flavor preference!