CRISPY CALAMARI & TARTARE SAUCE

by Kyla Van Heerden

By Chantal Lascaris @chantal_lascaris

Crispy calamari rings always bring back memories of summer holidays by the sea, best enjoyed with a glass of chilled wine. This recipe keeps the satisfying crunch of fried calamari without the grease, while a fresh and flavourful tartare sauce adds the perfect tangy contrast. For the juiciest, most tender calamari, marinate it overnight, but even a short soak will do the trick! 

CRISPY CALAMARI & TARTARE SAUCE

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Nutrition facts: 200 calories 20 grams fat
Rating: 5.0/5
( 1 voted )

Ingredients

  • INGREDIENTS
  • For the calamari
  • • 600-800g calamari rings
  • • 1 cup low-fat milk
  • • 2 teaspoons salt
  • • 1 cup cake wheat flour
  • • ½ cup cornflour
  • • ½ teaspoon baking powder
  • • ½ teaspoon cayenne pepper (or more for extra heat)
  • • 1 teaspoon garlic powder
  • • 1 teaspoon onion powder
  • • 2 large eggs
  • • ¼ cup low-fat milk
  • • 4 cups cornflakes, crushed into breadcrumb-sized pieces
  • • salt and pepper, to taste
  • • lemon wedges, for serving
  • For the tartare sauce
  • • ½ cup low-fat tangy mayonnaise
  • • ¼ cup Greek-style yoghurt
  • • 2 tablespoons diced gherkins
  • • 2 tablespoons diced capers
  • • 2 teaspoons lemon juice
  • • 2 tablespoons finely chopped parsley
  • • 2 tablespoons finely chopped dill
  • • salt and pepper, to taste

Instructions

METHOD
1. Pour 1 cup of milk into a shallow dish and stir in 2 teaspoons of salt. Submerge the calamari in the milk, ensuring it is fully covered. Refrigerate for at least 30 minutes or, for best results, overnight.
2. Preheat the air fryer to 200°C.
3. Combine all the sauce ingredients in a bowl, mix well, and refrigerate until ready to serve.
4. In a bowl, whisk together the flour, cornflour, baking powder, cayenne pepper, garlic powder, and onion powder. In a separate bowl, whisk the eggs and ¼ cup of milk. In a third bowl, combine the crushed cornflakes with salt and pepper.
5. Dredge the calamari rings in the flour mixture. Then, dip them into the egg mixture, allowing any excess to drip off. Finally, coat them thoroughly with the crushed cornflakes.
6. Arrange the rings in a single layer in the air fryer basket, ensuring they don’t overlap.
7. Cook for 4 minutes, then flip and cook for another 3 minutes, until golden and crispy. Work in batches if needed.
8. Serve immediately with tartare sauce and lemon wedges on the side. Enjoy your crispy, flavourful calamari!

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