3 lb Squid, cleaned and cut into
-rings
Flour for coating, at least
-3 cups
Salt and pepper to taste
Oil for deep frying. Peanut
-oil is best.
Deep-fried squid is one of the most popular seafood dishes in the
world. It is made in almost every country where squid is eaten. Once
you taste it, you'll see why. The rings emerge juicy, sweet and
crisp.
Served with several dipping sauces, this dish makes an excellent hors
d'oeuvre or main course. This recipe calls for a dry coating. Wet
coatings, such as tempura batter, are delicious, too, though they are
a little more trouble to apply.
Dry the rings thoroughly with paper towels. Coat with flour, to
which salt and pepper have been added.
Heat oil to 350F in a deep-fat fryer or heavy casserole. If you
don't have a temperature control or thermometer, you can guess at the
temperature by dropping a few drops of water into the oil. It should
sizzle immediately on contact. Plunge basket laden with one layer of
squid into oil which should bubble vigorously on contact. If you
don't have a basket for deep frying, use a large spoon or tongs to
immerse squid in oil, and to remove. Fry until coating turns golden
brown, about 3 or 4 minutes.
Remove squid and drain. Turn down heat to moderate until just before
you are ready to cook the next batch; oil will overheat when the
fryer is empty. Remove excess oil from squid with paper towels.
Serve rings hot with any of the dipping sauces described below or with
lemon wedges. Cole slaw is a natural with deep fried squid.
