Calamari Recipe
Kids meals come with house soup and salad, fried rice, noodles, vegetables, and a shrimp taster.
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Ingredients
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Calamari
Dipping Sauce (Tartar-style)
Kids Meal Components (per child)
Method
Calamari
Prepare squid
Slice cleaned squid tubes into 1/2-inch rings and pat dry with paper towels. Leave tentacles whole or halve larger ones so pieces are similar in size.
Soak
Place the squid pieces in a bowl and pour the buttermilk over them. Cover and refrigerate for 20–30 minutes. This tenderizes the squid and helps the coating adhere.
Heat oil
While the squid soaks, pour vegetable oil into a large heavy-bottomed pot or deep fryer to a depth of about 2–3 inches (roughly 3–4 cups). Heat to 350°F (175°C). If you don't have a thermometer, test by dropping a pinch of flour into the oil — it should sizzle and brown in about 30–45 seconds.
Prepare coating
In a shallow bowl or pie plate, whisk together the flour, cornmeal (if using), salt, black pepper, paprika, and garlic powder until evenly distributed.
Dredge squid
Remove squid from buttermilk in small batches, letting excess drip off. Toss pieces in the flour mixture until well coated, shaking off excess. For extra crispness, double-dredge: dip coated rings briefly back into a tablespoon of buttermilk and coat again in the flour mixture.
Fry
Working in batches to avoid crowding (about 6–8 oz per batch), gently lower the coated squid into the hot oil. Fry for 1.5–2.5 minutes, turning as needed, until golden brown and crisp. Smaller pieces will cook faster; do not overcook or squid becomes tough.
Drain and season
Use a slotted spoon to transfer fried calamari to a wire rack set over a baking sheet or to paper towels to drain. Immediately sprinkle with a pinch of salt while still hot. Keep cooked batches warm in a 200°F (95°C) oven on a wire rack if needed while finishing remaining squid.
Dipping Sauce (Tartar-style)
In a small bowl combine mayonnaise, chopped dill pickle, chopped capers, lemon juice, chopped dill or parsley, salt, and pepper. Mix until smooth and refrigerate for at least 10 minutes to let flavors meld. Taste and adjust seasoning.
Kids Meal Components (assembly and reheating)
House soup
Heat 1 cup of house soup to a gentle simmer (about 3–5 minutes) and serve hot in a small bowl.
House salad
Toss mixed greens with a small portion of dressing just before serving so leaves remain crisp. Arrange on a small plate.
Fried rice
Reheat 3/4 cup fried rice in a skillet over medium heat with a teaspoon of oil, stirring until warmed through (about 3–4 minutes). Transfer to the kids plate.
Noodles
Reheat 3/4 cup stir-fried noodles quickly in a hot skillet or microwave 45–60 seconds until warmed. Toss with a few drops of soy sauce if needed and place on plate.
Vegetables
Steam or microwave 1/2 cup mixed vegetables until tender-crisp (about 2–3 minutes) and season lightly with salt and a small pat of butter if desired.
Shrimp taster
Briefly warm 2 cooked shrimp in hot water or in a skillet for 30–60 seconds until just heated through. Arrange next to the kids plate as a small taster.