Crispy Calamari With Five Spice Salt Recipe
Crisp fried squid rings seasoned with aromatic five spice salt.
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Ingredients
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Calamari and Coating
Five Spice Salt & Finishing
Frying
Method
Calamari and Coating
Prepare the squid
If not pre-cleaned, rinse calamari under cold water. Separate tubes from tentacles. Pat all pieces very dry with paper towels. Slice tubes into 1/2-inch rings; keep tentacles whole or halved if large. Drying thoroughly helps achieve maximum crispness.
Make coating mix
In a large bowl combine 3 cups all-purpose flour, 1/2 cup cornstarch, 1 tsp baking powder, 1 tsp fine sea salt, and 1/2 tsp ground white pepper. Whisk to blend evenly. Reserve 1/2 cup of this dry mix (or separate 1/2 cup of flour/cornstarch mix) for dusting.
Prepare wet coating
If using egg, lightly beat the egg in a measuring cup. Add 1 cup very cold club soda or beer to the egg (or to an empty cup if not using egg). Slowly whisk the cold liquid into the dry mix until just combined to form a batter — it should be slightly thicker than pancake batter but still fluid. Do not overmix; a few lumps are fine. Keep batter cold (place bowl over ice briefly) while heating oil.
Five Spice Salt & Finishing
Make five-spice salt
In a small bowl mix 1 tablespoon flaky sea salt, 1 teaspoon Chinese five-spice powder, and 1 teaspoon toasted sesame seeds. Taste and adjust: add up to 1/4 tsp more five-spice if you prefer a stronger aroma. Set aside in a small dish for sprinkling immediately after frying.
Frying
Heat oil
Pour about 1 liter of oil into a heavy pot or deep fryer, leaving at least 3 inches headspace. Heat oil to 350–360°F (175–182°C). If you do not have a thermometer, test with a small pinch of batter: it should sizzle immediately and rise to the surface.
Dust calamari
Toss the dried calamari rings and tentacles with the reserved 1/2 cup flour/cornstarch mix to lightly dust each piece. Shake off excess — this dry dusting helps the batter adhere and produces crisper results.
Batter and fry (two-stage for extra crispness)
Working in small batches (6–8 pieces per batch, do not overcrowd), dip the dusted calamari into the cold batter, letting excess drip off briefly, then carefully lower into the hot oil. Fry for 45–60 seconds until the coating is golden and crisp but the squid remains tender. Using a slotted spoon or spider, transfer fried calamari to a wire rack set over a baking sheet (or paper towels) to drain. Maintain oil temperature; allow it to return to 350–360°F before the next batch.
Optional second fry
For extra-crisp results, after all batches have had a first fry, bring oil to 375°F (190°C). Return the calamari to the hot oil in batches and fry for an additional 20–30 seconds until deeply golden and extra crunchy. Drain again on a rack.