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5 from 4 votes

Crispy Fried Calamari

Lightly flavored crispy fried calamari with light coating. A must try Mediterranean calamari recipe.
Prep Time15 mins
Cook Time15 mins
Total Time30 mins
Course: Appetizer
Cuisine: American, Mediterranean
Diet: Halal
Servings: 4 servings
Calories: 163.7kcal
Author: Amira

Ingredients

  • 1 pound Calamari rings.
  • 2 Tablespoon white vinegar.
  • For the marinade:
  • 1 Tablespoon lemon juice.
  • 1 large garlic clove.
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt or to taste.
  • 1/2 teaspoon black pepper.
  • 1 teaspoon cumin powder.
  • 1 Tablespoon olive oil.
  • Coating mix:
  • 1/2 cup flour
  • 3/4 teaspoon garlic powder.
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt.
  • 1/2 teaspoon black pepper.
  • Oil for frying

Instructions

  • In a deep bowl add calamari rings , vinegar and mix well. Set aside for 20-30 minutes. Then rinse with cold water and pat dry. Note1
  • Add the marinade ingredients to the calamari and toss well. Let it marinate for 30 minutes to 1 hour in the fridge.
  • In a deep frying pot, heat your frying oil.
  • While the oil is heating up, add the coating ingredients in a deep bowl and mix well.
  • Add the calamari one by one and toss to cover with the flour mixture.
  • Fry in batches for about 3 minute or until lightly brown.

Notes

  • Soaking calamari rings in vinegar helps tenderize them which makes them less chewy. Also it gets rid of any unpleasant smell.
  • After this I like to marinade the calamari in a special spice mix with olive oil. I use garlic, lemon juice, salt, black pepper and cumin. This combination pairs very well with calamari and it will still taste like calamari, nothing overpowering here.
  • Making a thick batter, the one that is like pancakes, is not something my mom used to make. I'm more used to a simple dusting with lightly seasoned flour and that's it.
  • Some people add semolina or cornflour for a more crispy coating.
  • Squid rings are slightly chewy when quickly fried at about 130F. When they reach 140F the connective tissues shrink making the calamari tough.
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Nutrition

Calories: 163.7kcal | Carbohydrates: 11.9g | Protein: 16.7g | Fat: 5.9g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.3g | Monounsaturated Fat: 2.5g | Cholesterol: 215mg | Sodium: 202.2mg | Potassium: 34.4mg | Fiber: 0.7g | Vitamin A: 4IU | Vitamin C: 1.6mg | Calcium: 2.3mg | Iron: 5mg