Name: Crispy Fried Calamari
Yield: Serves 4
Cuisine: Filipino
Ingredients: 4 cups (960 ml) canola or other neutral oil, for frying; Kosher salt, for finishing; 1 pound squid, 5 inches (12 cm) long or smaller, cleaned and cut into ¾-inch (2 cm) pieces; 1 cup (240 ml) milk or buttermilk; 1 teaspoon fish sauce; ¼ teaspoon coarsely cracked black pepper; 1 whole lemon, cut into wedges, seeds removed, for serving; ½ teaspoon baking soda; ¼ teaspoon garlic powder; Suka at Bawang, for serving; ½ cup (65 g) all-purpose flour; ½ cup (65 g) cornstarch

Preparation info

Serves
4

Difficulty
Easy

Appears in

Filipinx

By Angela Dimayuga and Ligaya Mishan

Published 2021

About

In the Philippines, this is pulutan, bar food, but I ate it as a kid going to the Turo-Turo, where the squid rings and tentacles somehow stayed crunchy all day, even though they were fried in big batches and stocked in hotel pans on the steam table. I loved the texture—a little crackle, a little chew—especially paired with the velvet of Munggo and the sour thrill of Sinigang. Here, milk in t