Thai Fried Calamari (Printable Version)
Crispy squid rings with a kick of Thai spices, fried quick and hot, served up fresh and ready to dunk in sweet chili sauce.
# What You'll Need:
→ Main
01 -
Grab 2 big squid tubes, thawed or fresh, or go with 3–4 medium ones if that's what you have. Let them defrost if frozen.
→ Coating
02 -
0.5 ml cayenne or crushed chile flakes
03 -
2.5 ml salt
04 -
125 ml semolina
05 -
0.5 ml Chinese five-spice mix
06 -
1 pinch black or white pepper, freshly cracked
→ Frying
07 -
240 ml canola oil or any oil that can handle high heat
→ To Serve
08 -
Thai sweet chili sauce
09 -
Coriander leaves or lettuce, if you want
# Step-by-Step Guide:
01 -
With your tongs, pick up the crispy squid rings and let them chill on a paper towel for a bit. Dish them up right away while they're hot, and don't forget the sweet chili sauce and some greens if you like.
02 -
Throw in a ring to test the oil—if it crackles, you're good. Drop in small batches and fry for a minute on each side till they're slightly golden. Turn down the heat if things go too fast.
03 -
Get your frying pan ready and pour in canola oil until it's about 2.5 cm deep. Turn to medium-high and wait till the oil starts shimmering or tiny bubbles show up.
04 -
Take one squid ring at a time and roll it around in your semolina mix. Make sure it's fully covered and then pop it onto a clean plate.
05 -
Put the squid tubes flat on your cutting board. Using a sharp knife, cut them into rings about 1.25 cm thick.
06 -
In a flat bowl or on a plate, toss the semolina, salt, cayenne, five-spice, and pepper together. Give them a good mix so everything's even, then set aside.
# Additional Notes:
01 -
Don't keep the calamari in the oil too long—just enough to get them cooked through, or they'll turn tough and chewy.