Salt and Pepper Calamari
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Total Time: 40 minutes
- Yield: 4
- Category: Birthday; easy; Festivities; Fish & Seafood; Light meals; Main Ingredient; Meals and Courses; Seasonal; Snacks; Spring; Summer
Description
Sometimes the simplest things in life at the most delicious. This salt and pepper calamari has all the makings of the perfect holiday lunch by the sea.
Ingredients
600 g calamari or chokka (with tentacles), cleaned
The Seasoned Flour
100 g rice flour
1 tsp (5 ml) salt
1 tsp (5 ml) white pepper
1 tsp (5 ml) black pepper
pinch cayenne pepper
oil for deep frying
To Serve
lemon wedges
chilli mayo (make your own by combining a drizzle of your favourite chilli sauce with this homemade mayo)
Instructions
To Prepare Calamari
Cut the tubes of calamari or chokka in half lengthwise, score the inside in a criss-cross pattern – make sure the cuts are on the inside of the squid, because it curls from inside out. Cut into bite sized pieces – not too small, take into account that it will curl and shrink.
Combine the rice flour, salt, white, black and cayenne pepper together and mix.
Toss the scored calamari and tentacles into the seasoned flour mixture in batches, shaking off the excess and setting aside before adding the next batch.
To Make The Calamari
Heat the oil to 180 °C in a deep fat fryer or a deep sided saucepan.
Place the calamari pieces into the hot oil in batches and allow to cook until crisp light and golden.
Remove and place onto sheets of kitchen towel to drain the excess oil.
To Serve
Serve with lemon wedges and your favourite dipping sauce.
Tip: Make your own chilli mayo by adding a generous drizzle of your favourite chilli sauce and a little lemon to this easy homemade mayo. Alternatively, roast garlic bulbs whole and then add the soft roasted garlic flesh to the mayo ro make a delicious garlic dipping sauce.
