Calamari Fritti & Karkalla Chilli Tartar
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Calamari Fritti & Karkalla Chilli Tartar
Recipe by Nornie Bero
Serves: 6
Prep Time: 30 mins
Cook Time: 10 mins
Ingredients
1.5kg whole squid
1½ cups flour
3 tbs semolina
2 tbs saltbush
2 tbs sea salt
1 tbs pepperberry
3 tbs oregano
1 tbs ground aniseed myrtle
Sunflower oil, for frying
Karkalla Chilli Tartar
250g mayonnaise
140g labneh
½ cup karkalla, diced
Juice of 1 lemon
2 garlic cloves, crushed
2 tbs capers, chopped
1 tbs Dijon mustard
Dash of olive oil
Chilli Sauce
3 tbs chilli flakes
¼ cup macadamia nuts, roughly chopped
1 tbs ginger powder
1 tbs garlic powder
2 litres sunflower oil
Method
Slice the squid down one side to open it. Use a butter knife to score the inside of the squid in a lattice pattern. This helps tenderise the squid and ensures the coating sticks well.
In a bowl, combine the flour, semolina, pepperberry, oregano, ground aniseed myrtle, saltbush, and sea salt. Mix thoroughly.
Coat all the squid pieces evenly with the flour mixture and let them sit for 5 minutes to absorb the seasoning. Shake off any excess flour before frying.
Heat the sunflower oil in a large pot to 180°C. Fry the squid in small batches to avoid overcrowding, cooking each batch for 40 to 50 seconds until golden and crisp. Remove the fried squid and place it on paper towels to drain any excess oil. Slice the fried squid into 3cm pieces for serving.
For the karkalla chilli tartar, mix the mayonnaise, labneh, diced karkalla, lemon juice, crushed garlic, capers, Dijon mustard, and a dash of olive oil in a bowl until well combined. Set aside.
To make the chilli sauce, place the chilli flakes, macadamia nuts, ginger powder, garlic powder, and sunflower oil in a small pot. Heat the mixture gently for 7 minutes, then set it aside to cool completely.
Just before serving, drizzle the cooled chilli sauce over the karkalla tartar.
Serve the crispy calamari on a platter alongside the karkalla chilli tartar and enjoy this fresh, flavourful dish perfect for any occasion.
