Tempura Calamari Recipe

Prepare calamari

Pat the cleaned calamari tubes and tentacles very dry with paper towels. Slice tubes into 1/2-inch rings; leave tentacles whole or halved if large. Chill in the refrigerator while you prepare the batter.

Set up dredge

Place 1/2 cup all-purpose flour in a shallow bowl or tray and season with a pinch of the fine sea salt. This will be used to lightly dust the calamari before battering; it helps the batter adhere.

Make tempura-style batter

In a medium bowl, combine 1/2 cup rice flour, 1/4 cup cornstarch, 1/4 tsp baking powder and 1 tsp fine sea salt. In a separate bowl, lightly beat 1 large egg and combine with 12 oz ice water (keep the water as cold as possible; you can add a handful of ice to the water and remove before mixing). Pour the egg-water mixture into the dry mixture and stir briefly with chopsticks or a fork — the batter should be lumpy and lightly mixed (do not overmix; a few dry streaks are fine). Keep the bowl over a larger bowl filled with ice to keep it cold until frying.

Heat oil

Pour about 1 to 1.5 quarts of vegetable oil into a deep heavy pot or fryer and heat to 350–365°F (175–185°C). If you don't have a thermometer, test by dropping a small bit of batter: it should sizzle and rise immediately and turn light golden within 30–45 seconds.

Fry calamari — first pass

Lightly dredge a small batch of calamari rings and tentacles in the all-purpose flour, shaking off excess. Hold the batter bowl close to the oil and gently drop pieces into the batter briefly so they’re coated, then immediately drop into the hot oil. Fry in small batches (no more than will fit without crowding) for about 45–60 seconds until batter sets and starts to turn pale golden. Remove with a slotted spoon or spider to a wire rack set over a sheet pan to drain. This first quick fry cooks the seafood through without over-browning the batter.

Fry calamari — second pass

Increase oil temperature slightly to 365°F (185°C) if it cooled. Fry the previously par-fried calamari a second time for 30–45 seconds until crisp and golden brown. Do not overcook — total cook time per piece should be about 1.5–2 minutes. Transfer to the wire rack, season lightly with 1/4 tsp fine sea salt while still hot.

Keep warm and crisp

If making multiple batches, keep finished calamari in a single layer on the wire rack in a warm (200°F/95°C) oven for a few minutes to stay crisp while you finish frying remaining batches. Do not stack pieces or they will steam and lose crispness.

Combine ingredients

In a small bowl, stir together 1/2 cup mayonnaise, 2 tsp sriracha, 1 tsp Dijon mustard, 1 tbsp chopped capers, 2 tbsp finely diced cornichons or dill pickles, 1 tbsp fresh lemon juice, and 1 tbsp minced chives until smooth. Taste and season with 1/4 tsp salt and 1/8 tsp black pepper. Adjust sriracha to heat preference. Chill until ready to serve (at least 15 minutes to let flavors meld).

Serve

Arrange hot tempura calamari on a warm platter or individual plates. Sprinkle with the optional toasted sesame seeds and thinly sliced green onions. Serve with lemon wedges and a small bowl of chilled sriracha tartar sauce for dipping. Offer extra lemon on the side to squeeze over the calamari immediately before eating.