How do you keep fried calamari crispy?

Just place them on a cooling rack set over a baking sheet . In much the same way, putting fried food on a cooling rack means the excess oil will drip off, but there's enough air circulating underneath the food that the bottoms don't get soggy.

How do you cook calamari so it is not tough?

For maximum tenderness, use smaller squid. The larger the squid, the tougher it will be. I also soak my calamari in a water, baking soda, and salt bath for 15 minutes before frying to help ensure a more tender texture. Some people prefer to soak in milk as the lactic acid helps to tenderize the calamari.

Why soak calamari in milk?

Here is one of the biggest tips for today's fried calamari recipe: tenderize your squid rings by soaking them in salted milk and refrigerate for 30 minutes. This will help tenderize the calamari while taming the fishy smell ! It also helps the flour coating to stick to the meat of the squid.

What is the best oil for frying calamari?

What's the Best Oil to Fry Calamari In? Any high-smoke-point oil — like vegetable, canola, or peanut oil — will work for frying calamari. I recommend an oil with a very mild flavor so that the delicate calamari flavor shines through.

Why is my fried calamari soggy?

If the oil temperature is too low , the calamari will absorb too much oil and become soggy, or will lose its breading all together. On the other hand, if the oil is too hot, the outside will cook faster than the inside.

How do you tenderize calamari without milk?

So, what do you do if you're dairy free but still want to tenderize your calamari? I like to marinate mine in a mixture of water and baking soda . Like dairy, baking soda is a base, so it has a similar effect on the calamari while keeping it dairy free for those who need it.

What makes calamari rubbery?

Did the squid become rubbery? You can overcook it . In fact, cook it until tender. Squid will tenderize when cooked for 30 minutes or even longer.

What is the secret to cooking squid?

A screaming hot pan is by far the quickest way to get squid to the table. Slice the tubes or leave them whole, season with salt and pepper, sear the squid over the highest possible heat for two or three minutes, and you've got the perfect blank-slate weeknight protein.

How to cook squid without making it rubbery?

Most seafoods if you cook it too long, they tend to be rubbery. In other to get it right, you can pre-cook it slightly. For instance, if you cook shrimp, squid or octopus, you boil them in hot water for few seconds (about 20 seconds to 30 seconds or so).

Does baking soda tenderize calamari?

How to Quickly Tenderize Calamari. I use baking soda to tenderize calamari . For each pound, I dissolve 1 teaspoon of baking soda in just enough water to cover the calamari. Let sit for about 15 minutes and then rinse very well and pat dry.

Why is my calamari so hard?

Fried calamari gets tough when even slightly overcooked . The trick is to thaw and bring to room temperature before frying. Soak them in water and baking soda for an hour. Clean them in cold water then dry them.

Why is my fried calamari chewy?

Pick out fresh or frozen squid that has already been cleaned and sliced into 1/8 inch rounds that are cut in 1-inch segments (if it is available). Prep Beforehand: A simple way to prevent your calamari from having a chewy texture is to soak it in buttermilk for an hour before frying it . This will tenderize it.

Crispy and Deliciously Tender Fried Calamari Recipe (2024)

By: Author Dan Toombs

Posted on Published: June 2, 2020

Jump to Recipe

This is the best fried calamari recipe around. Really easy too.

I’ve been making this fried calamari recipe since I was in my early 20s back in Monterey California. You can catch the most delicious baby calamari there in the bay. I used to love going deep see fishing and the first step was catching baby calamari to use as bait.

I always ensured I got some for myself too.

If squid isn’t cooked correctly, it becomes tough and not very nice. This fried calamari recipe will get you the amazingly tender and delicious results each and every time.

The secret is in marinating the calamari in milk overnight!

This might seem a bit odd to some but stay with me here! Dairy products like yoghurt and milk are the best natural tenderisers. Cut your squid into rings and place with the tentacles in a large mixing bowl.

Cover with milk and then cling film and place in the fridge for 12 to 24 hours.

If you are marinating the tentacles, the milk will turn pink in colour. No problem there. It’s natural and you are going to discard the milk anyway.

Milk isn’t the only thing that make this recipe superior!

When cooking squid, you need to quickly fry in for about a minute or cook it for a long time like you would in a fish stew.

In this case, we are frying it so you need to be very careful to ensure you fry the squid for no longer than a minute. Get your oil up to temperature as I explain in the following recipe and you are in for crispy calamari perfection.

How to serve this fried calamari…

I decided to write down this recipe while writing my next cookbook ‘The Curry Guy Thai’ which is out next year. So I served it with this homemade Thai sweet chilli sauce it boy was it good!

That said, there isn’t really anything Thai about the simple batter. This calamari recipe can be served with the sauce of your choice. Try in with garlic mayo, hot sauce, whatever sounds good.

Love Thai food? Try some of these delicious recipes!

Thai Green Curry
Thai Red Curry
Beef Massaman Curry
Chicken Satay and peanut sauce
Thai Drunken Noodles
Steamed Sea Bass with Garlic and Lime Sauce
Tom Yum Gai
Tom Kha Gai
Hot and Sour Prawn Soup

Yield: 4 - 6

Fried Calamari

Prep Time10 minutes

Cook Time5 minutes

Additional Time12 hours

Total Time12 hours 15 minutes

Ingredients

900g (2 lbs.) small squid tube with tentacles – cleaned*
250ml (1 cup) full fat milk
2 eggs
120g (1 cup) plain (all-purpose) flour
120g (1 cup) cornflour (corn starch)
1 tsp salt
1 tsp black pepper
1 tbsp red chilli powder (optional)
Rapeseed oil for deep frying
Flaky sea salt and pepper to taste

Instructions

Place the whole squid tubes and tentacles in
a bowl and cover with the milk. Milk is a natural tenderiser which gives the squid a perfect texture when fried so be sure the squid is completely covered.
Cover the bowl with cling film and place in the fridge overnight to marinate.
When ready to cook, remove the squid from the
milk marinade and whisk in two eggs until smooth. Return the squid to the liquid.
Now mix the two flours in a large mixing bowl with the salt and chilli powder if using and heat about 750ml (3 cups) of oil in a wok and heat to 190c/375f over medium high heat. If the oil is not hot enough, your calamari will become oily
and soggy instead of deliciously crispy.
It is important not to over-crowd the pan so cook the squid in batches. Dip the squid into the flour mixture and ensure each piece is coated evenly and then fry for about a minute or until golden brown.
Transfer the calamari to a paper towel to soak up the excess oil and repeat until all cooked.
Season with salt and pepper to taste and serve with sweet chilli dip.

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