Calamari Recipe

Prepare squid

Pat the squid rings and tentacles thoroughly dry with paper towels. Toss them lightly with 1/4 cup of the all-purpose flour to coat; shake off excess. Keeping the squid dry helps batter adhere and prevents oil splatter.

Make the batter

In a bowl, whisk together 1/4 cup all-purpose flour, 1/2 cup cornstarch, 1/4 cup rice flour, baking soda and 1/2 tsp salt and 1/4 tsp black pepper. In a separate chilled bowl, lightly beat the egg (if using) and add the cold sparkling water and a few ice cubes to keep the batter cold. Pour the wet into the dry and stir very gently; do not overmix. The batter should be slightly lumpy and thin enough to coat (adjust with a tablespoon more sparkling water if too thick). Keep the batter chilled over ice until ready to fry.

Heat oil

Pour vegetable oil into a heavy-bottomed pot or deep fryer to reach a depth of 3–4 inches (about 6–8 cups depending on vessel). Heat to 350–365°F (175–185°C). Use a thermometer for accuracy.

Fry calamari

Working in small batches (4–6 pieces per batch to avoid overcrowding), dredge the floured squid briefly in the reserved 1/4 cup flour (this helps the batter stick), then dip into the cold batter, letting excess drip off. Carefully lower into hot oil and fry until pale golden and crisp, 1.5–2 minutes. Remove with a slotted spoon and drain on a wire rack or paper towels. Sprinkle lightly with salt immediately. Keep fried calamari warm in a low oven (200°F / 95°C) while finishing remaining batches.

Prepare shrimp

Pat shrimp dry and make shallow lengthwise slits on the underside and press to straighten so they stay straight while frying. Sprinkle 1/4 teaspoon fine salt over shrimp and lightly dust with a tablespoon of tempura or all-purpose flour to help batter adhere.

Make tempura batter

In a bowl, place the tempura flour and add cold sparkling water (about 3/4 cup) and the ice cubes. Stir once or twice until just combined; the batter should be lumpy and cold. Do not overmix.

Fry shrimp

Using the same oil temperature (350–365°F / 175–185°C), dredge each shrimp through batter and fry in small batches until the batter is crisp and shrimp are cooked through, about 1.5–2 minutes. Remove to a rack to drain and keep warm with the calamari.

Quick fry peppers

Heat 2 teaspoons neutral oil in a skillet over medium-high heat. Add shishito peppers in a single layer and cook, turning occasionally, until blistered and softened in spots, about 4–6 minutes. Transfer to a bowl and toss with flaky salt. Serve warm.

Whisk together mayonnaise, sriracha, lemon juice, grated garlic, sesame oil (if using) and 1/4 teaspoon salt until smooth. Taste and adjust heat or acidity by adding more sriracha or lemon juice. Chill until ready to serve.

If using store-bought sauce, simply whisk in rice vinegar and lime juice to brighten flavor. If making quickly from scratch: combine 1/2 cup sweet chili sauce, 1 teaspoon rice vinegar and 1 teaspoon lime juice and stir until smooth.

On a large platter or individual plates, arrange warm calamari and tempura shrimp with blistered shishito peppers. Spoon sriracha aioli into a small dipping bowl and the sweet chili sauce into another. Garnish the seafood with chopped parsley and place lemon wedges alongside. Serve immediately so the batter stays crisp.