Crispy Greek Fried Calamari with Garlic Yogurt

By Sprig Originals ✓ · cooked up in Sprig

Tender squid rings soaked in milk, tossed in a flour-and-semolina dredge, and deep-fried for barely two minutes so they come out sandy-crisp and sweet inside — exactly like a seaside taverna plate. No batter to mix, no breadcrumbs, just a bowl of dry dredge, a pot of hot oil, lemon wedges and a quick garlic yogurt for dunking.

Ingredients

• 1.5 lb cleaned squid, tubes and tentacles
• 1 cup whole milk

• 3/4 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/2 cup fine semolina
• 1 tsp dried oregano
• 1.5 tsp fine salt, plus more for finishing
• 1/2 tsp black pepper
• 6 cups sunflower or vegetable oil, for deep frying

• 1 cup Greek yogurt
• 1 clove garlic, finely grated
• 2 lemons, cut into wedges

Instructions

1. Slice the squid tubes crosswise into 1/3-inch rings and halve any large tentacle clusters. Put them in a bowl with the milk and leave at room temperature for 20 minutes (or up to 1 hour in the fridge) — the milk tenderises and takes away any iodine edge.
2. Stir the yogurt with the grated garlic and a pinch of salt, squeeze in a little juice from one lemon wedge, and refrigerate until serving.
3. Whisk the flour, semolina, oregano, 1 1/2 tsp salt and black pepper together in a wide bowl. Set a wire rack over a baking sheet next to the stove.
4. Pour the oil into a deep, heavy pot so it comes no more than one-third of the way up the sides, and heat over medium to 355°F (180°C) on a thermometer. SAFETY: never fill the pot more than a third full, keep the handle turned inward, and keep a lid nearby to smother any flare-up — never water. Squid holds moisture, so pat it dry and stand back as you add it, since the oil will spit.
5. Lift a handful of squid from the milk, let it drip for a second, then toss it in the dredge until fully coated. Shake off the excess in a sieve or your fingers — loose flour burns in the oil.
6. Fry in batches of about a handful, 90 seconds to 2 minutes, until pale gold and crisp; do not let it brown deeply or it will toughen. Lift out with a spider or slotted spoon onto the rack and salt immediately. Let the oil climb back to 355°F (180°C) between batches, about 1 minute each time.
7. Pile the calamari onto a warm platter and serve straight away with the lemon wedges and the garlic yogurt.

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Nutrition (per serving, estimated)

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