This is a great recipe for a casual dinner or tasty snack for a festive party.
The calamari are dusted with lemon myrtle and cracked pepper, giving it a unique lemon flavour. I season mine with The Good Salt, available at Saltbush Kitchen, or you can use regular salt flakes. (Serves 10 people as a starter).
My favourite way to serve these are with a fingerlime mayo or fingerlime salsa, using fingerlime marmalade, available from Saltbush Kitchen. See recipes for dipping sauces.
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 teaspoons lemon myrtle
- 1 1/2 teaspoons cracked black pepper (I crack mine straight out of the grinder)
- 1 1/2 teaspoons The Good Salt (or salt flakes)
- 3/4 cup rice flour
- 800gm calamari, cleaned and scored*
- 2 egg whites, lightly beaten
- 750ml vegetable oil, for deep frying
- Lemon wedges to serve
* I buy pre-tenderized Australian calamari
Method
- In a container add rice flour with lemon myrtle, cracked pepper and 1 teaspoon of The Good Salt. Pop the lid on, shake and set aside to infuse.
- Lightly whisk the egg whites in a bowl until they double in volume.
- I cut my calamari into long strips; 1 cm thick. This makes the calamari curl nicely.
- Dip the calamari in the egg white and toss in the flour mixture to coat.
- Heat the oil in a large frying pan or wok over high heat.
- Cook the calamari, in batches, for a few minutes until crispy.
- Transfer to a plate with absorbent paper.
- Season with remaining salt. Serve with lemon and one of my dipping sauces.
