Description
These crispy calamari rings have a light, crunchy coating with a lovely kick from paprika, cumin and chili flakes. Serve them with a creamy lemon parsley butter sauce, a squeeze of fresh lemon and your favourite sides for a seafood meal that feels a little special without much fuss.
Ingredients
Units
Scale
Spicy battered calamari
- 1.32 pd - 600 g calamari rings, thawed, washed and thoroughly dried
- 1 1/2 cups chana flour (gram flour) or all-purpose flour
- 1/2 tsp baking powder
- 1 1/2 tsp paprika
- 1 1/2 tsp ground cumin
- 1 1/2 tsp dried red chili flakes, adjusted to taste
- 1 tsp ground black pepper
- Salt to taste
- 1 cup cold soda water, plus a little extra if needed
- Vegetable or canola oil, for deep frying
- Lemon wedges, for serving
Lemon parsley butter sauce
- 0.3 cups - 70 ml lemon juice
- A dash of honey
- A pinch of salt
- 0.63 cups - 150 ml fresh cream
- 3 tbsp cold butter, cut into cubes
- 1 1/2 tsp dried parsley, optional
Instructions
- Pat the 600 g thawed calamari rings thoroughly dry with paper towels. This is worth the extra minute because excess moisture can make the batter slide off and cause the hot oil to splatter.
- Sift 1 1/2 cups chana flour or all purpose flour and 1/2 tsp baking powder into a large bowl. Add 1 1/2 tsp paprika, 1 1/2 tsp ground cumin, 1 1/2 tsp dried red chili flakes, 1 tsp ground black pepper and salt to taste. Whisk everything together so the spices are evenly distributed.
- Make a well in the centre and gradually whisk in 1 cup cold soda water until you have a smooth batter. If it’s too thick to coat the calamari easily, add a little extra soda water, 1 tbsp at a time. The batter should cling to the rings without being overly heavy.
- Cover the bowl and leave the batter to rest at room temperature for 30 minutes. Meanwhile, prepare your serving plates and sides so everything is ready when the calamari comes out of the oil.
- Pour vegetable or canola oil into a deep, heavy based saucepan, leaving plenty of room at the top to prevent overflow. Heat the oil to approximately 180⁰C (350⁰F). If you don’t have a thermometer, a small cube of bread should turn golden in about 15 seconds, although a thermometer gives you a more reliable reading.
- Dip a few calamari rings into the batter, allowing the excess to drip back into the bowl. Carefully lower them into the hot oil, one at a time, and fry in small batches for about 1 to 2 minutes, depending on their thickness. Turn them as needed and remove them when the coating is crisp and lightly golden and the calamari is cooked through. Avoid overcrowding the saucepan, as this lowers the oil temperature and can leave you with greasy batter.
- Lift the cooked rings out with a slotted spoon and drain briefly on a wire rack or paper towels. Let the oil return to temperature between batches. Keep the cooked calamari in a single layer while you finish frying the rest.
- To make the sauce, pour 70 ml lemon juice into a small saucepan and simmer until reduced by about half. Stir in a dash of honey, a pinch of salt and 1 1/2 tsp dried parsley, if using.
- Add 150 ml fresh cream, whisking continuously, and bring the mixture to a gentle boil. Reduce the heat and simmer briefly until it thickens slightly.
- Remove the saucepan from the heat and gradually whisk in 3 tbsp cold butter cubes until the sauce is smooth and glossy. Don’t let the sauce boil after adding the butter, or it may split. If it becomes too thick, whisk in a small splash of warm water.
- Serve the calamari immediately with the lemon parsley butter sauce on the side or drizzled over the rings just before eating. Add lemon wedges and serve with tomato and parsley salad, fries or rice. The contrast between the crisp coating and tangy, creamy sauce is lovely.
Notes
Prepared, tried, and tested by Gail
