TEMPURA CRUMBED CALAMARI

This Calamari Recipe Serves 1-2 (Makes ± 24 Rings/Pieces)

This Tempura Crumbed Calamari is crispy & delicious. It’s a great meal as a starter or as a side to a dish.

Tempura is a Japanese dish of fish or vegetables that have been battered & deep fried.

Calamari is a culinary name for squid, particularly for dishes from the Mediterranean, prominently seared squid (fried calamari). Squid is a well known nourishment in numerous parts of the world.

This dish serves well with Tartar Sauce.

Tempura Crumbed Calamari Ingredients:

• 5 tablespoons flour
• salt to taste
• cooking oil for deep frying
• 1 tablespoon Kashmiri chilli powder or Paprika
• pinch of dried mixed herbs (optional)
• 2 eggs
• 2 cups Panko breadcrumbs (or any other brand)
• Calamari rings – about a dozen

Method:

1. Rinse calamari rings or pieces & pat dry with a paper towel. Place in a bowl & set aside.
2. 
3. Have out three separate bowls.
4. In one of the bowls, add in the flour.
5. 
6. Add the salt, pinch of dried mixed herbs (optional) & the Kashmiri chilli powder/Paprika to the bowl of flour.
7. 
8. Mix well & set aside.
9. 
10. In the second bowl, crack in two eggs.
11. 
12. Beat the eggs using a fork or whisk. Set aside.
13. 
14. In the third bowl, drop in the breadcrumbs.
15. 
16. You should now have all three bowls ready to begin coating the calamari rings or pieces.
17. 
18. Place them in order (from left to right), flour mixture, beaten eggs & breadcrumbs. Place the bowl of calamari near them as well. Have a separate plate or tray out to place coated calamari’s on.
19. 
20. Next, using the dominant hand, place a calamari ring/piece into the flour mixture. (One hand should be used for dipping into dry mixtures & the other hand for the wet mixture).
21. 
22. Coat it well with the flour mixture & then using the other hand, drop the calamari into the beaten eggs. Coat well.
23. 
24. Thereafter, going back to the dominant hand, drop the coated calamari into the breadcrumbs.
25. 
26. Coat well & set aside on a plate or tray.
27. Do the same for all the calamari rings/pieces.
28. 
29. When all the calamari rings/pieces are coated, heat the cooking oil in a pot. It should be about halfway filled with oil as the calamari will be deep fried. Alternatively use a deep fryer.
30. When the oil is sizzling hot, carefully drop in one calamari at a time.
31. Do not over crowd the pot.
32. 
33. Fry them for less than 3 minutes to avoid the calamari becoming chewy.
34. Once browned, remove & set on a paper towel to drain off excess oil.
35. 
36. Serve immediately to avoid soggy & soft coating.
37. 
38. Best served with Tartar Sauce.