Good day, dear Rum Diary gourmets. Today we will talk about how to cook squid in batter – a delicacy that goes well with cold beer and other alcoholic / non-alcoholic drinks. Of course, this is not the fastest and not the cheapest snack, but it’s worth it.
Let’s start with the choice of squid. Usually they are sold frozen, and it is better to choose exactly those that have not been thawed before (carcasses should be easily separated from each other). If you choose between white peeled tubes and unpeeled squids from white to purple, then it is better to give preference to the latter: they are softer, juicier and tasty. After the purchase is made, you can start defrosting. Do not use hot water for this, it is better to defrost in cold or slightly warm water. The last time I cooked squid rings in batter, I thawed right in the bag.
Recipe for squid rings in batter:
- 3 medium squid carcasses;
- 2 eggs;
- flour;
- a few tablespoons of sunflower oil;
- 2 cloves of garlic;
- salt, pepper, spices.
After defrosting, I threw the carcasses into boiling water for literally one minute (no more) and cooled it down a bit. Further cleaning: we clean the squid inside (we take out the chitin plate and all the insides) and outside (remove the film, which can give bitterness). Next, cut the squid into rings (in extreme cases – stripes) and take for batter.
To cook fried squid in batter, you should experiment with the amount of ingredients. I took two eggs, about a tablespoon of sunflower oil, a few tablespoons of flour, two cloves of garlic. Pass the garlic through a garlic press, beat the remaining ingredients into a homogeneous mass. If it turned out too thick, you can add water at room temperature, if it is liquid – a little flour.
We heat up a sufficiently large amount of oil in a frying pan (ideally, of course, deep-frying, but in the absence of such …), dip the rings in batter and put them in a frying pan. On the first batch, the batter did not hold very well, so I added a little more flour to the next. Fry for one to two minutes, as soon as the batter is browned on one side, turn over.
At first, I wondered how to cook low-fat squid in batter; for myself, I found the following option: cook on medium-high heat, spread the rings on paper towels (and also blot them on top).
They can be served both hot and cold; most often, the rings are served with some kind of sauce. I prefer sour cream or mayonnaise-garlic, you can buy ready-made tartar sauce or any other. You can also sprinkle squid with lemon juice.
I have made this dish several times, each time it turned out differently, but still delicious. There are many recipes, over time you can find the perfect combination for yourself. There are many ways to cook squid in batter, including chops, deep-fried whole, stuffed, and more. By the way, this was my first recipe with my own photographs taken. Sorry for the quality, but the last photo had to be taken from another source (at the sight of ready-made squids, hands apparently began to tremble =)). Let’s get a good camera, we’ll shoot more often.