Ingredients
Marinade:
- 500 grams calamari tubes and tentacles
- ½ cup rice wine vinegar
- 2 tsp sesame oil
- ½ tsp salt
- ½ tsp pepper
Seasoned coating:
- 100 grams corn flour starch such as Maizena
- 1 tsp salt fine table salt
- 2 tsp freshly ground white pepper
Garnishes: (all optional)
- Sliced spring onion
- Togarashi seasoning
- Sliced chilli
- Fresh basil
- Wedges of lime or lemon
- Salt & pepper
Dipping:
- Wasabi mayo add 1 tsp wasabi paste to ¼ cup good mayo
- Tartare sauce
Instructions
- You will need 1.5 – 2 litres of oil for frying.
- Add the rinsed calamari tubes and tentacles to a bowl with the marinade ingredients and cover with cling film and to marinade for 2 – 4 hours in the fridge. Remove from the fridge at least an hour before cooking and drain. You want to try and bring this closer to room temperature before frying.
- Heat the oil in a deep large pot and bring it to 190C.
- While you are heating the oil, mix all the ingredients for the seasoned coating together in a bowl.
- Prepare a flat tray or plate lined with 3 layers of paper towel
- When you are ready to fry, toss about ¼ of the calamari and tentacles in the seasoned coating and the dust any excess off. Fry until golden and crispy and then drain with a slotted spoon or wire frying net on the paper towel. Repeat with the other batches.
- Sprinkle over your garnishes and serve with the dipping sauces of your choice.
Notes
Storage Instructions
- Refrigeration: Store leftover calamari in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 1 day.
- Reheating: To keep it crispy, reheat in an air fryer at 180°C (350°F) for 3-4 minutes or in a preheated oven at 200°C (400°F) for 5-7 minutes. Avoid microwaving, as it will make the calamari soggy.
- Freezing: Not recommended, as fried calamari tends to lose its texture when frozen and reheated.