Calamari Rings grace every menu card and even street-side stalls as one of the most demanded appetizers. The mouth-watering crispy fried Calamari Rings are made of squid mantle, dredged in a spicy batter, and then deep-fried. In this article, we will tell you how to cook Calamari Rings and pair them up with Dingolay Gourmet Hot Sauces. A combination, so appetizing that you will forget about the main course.
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History of Calamari Rings
The word Calamari is Italian for ‘Squid.’ In Asian countries, Japan, Thailand, and Taiwan, Squid rings are dredged in spicy batter and then deep-fried. However, the origin of the dish has been debated for quite some time. Since Calamari is an Italian word, food critics believe it to be an Italian dish. It is said that Calamari was first made in Italy, then the recipe paved its way across the Mediterranean Sea through traders that often visited Italy.
Still, the Calamari Rings did not reach the USA until the 1970s. It was in 1975, that The New York Times published an article praising Calamari Rings, and it got a chance to dignify several menu cards in the United States. Up until the early 1980s, Calamari Rings were a luxury that only the privileged class had access to and were exclusive to cities like New York and Boston. Then by 1985, Calamari rings were publicized in various social mediums, and awareness was generated. By the end of the 80s, Calamari Rings reigned all over the restaurants, bars, and street food stalls in the US and all over Europe and Asia.
Calamari Rings Recipe
Ingredients for Calamari Rings
All-Purpose Flour: 1 cup
Sea Salt: to taste
Eggs: 2
Oat Milk: 1 Tbsp
Bread Crumbs: 1 cup
Black Pepper Powder: to taste (coarsely crushed)
Squid Mantle: 20 rings (cross-cut)
Vegetable Oil: to deep fry
How to Cook Calamari Rings
| Prep Time | 15 minutes |
| Set Time | 15 to 20 minutes |
| Frying Time | 3 minutes (each ring) |
To make Calamari Rings, cut the Squid mantle cross-cut across the body into ½ inch rings and set them aside. Do not cut thick pieces, or they will take time to fry, and it will give away a rubbery/leathery texture.
Now start preparing the batter to coat the rings in. In a bowl, take 1 cup of all-purpose flour and sprinkle a pinch of sea salt. In another bowl, beat two eggs and mix it with 1 Tbsp of Oat Milk. Then again, in a separate bowl, add 1 cup of bread crumbs. If you do not want to use the packaged bread crumbs, blend two bread loaves in a blender. Mix the bread crumbs with coarsely crushed black peppers.
Firstly, coat the rings one by one in all-purpose flour, eggs, and lastly, bread crumbs.
Let the marinated rings sit on a plate for a while so that the coating may stick properly.
Pour oil into a deep frying pan and heat it over a medium-high flame. Then fry the calamari rings. Let each side fry for around 1.5 minutes, 3 minutes on the whole. Make sure that the crumbs have turned to relish golden brown. Do not let the Calamari rings fry for more than three minutes. Otherwise, it will not taste good.
Garnish with lemon wedges and fresh, thinly cut Parsley. Serve hot with Dingolay Gourmet Hot Sauce, and get ready to have the time of your life.
Side Dishes to Serve with Calamari Rings
Although Calamari Rings are served as a side dish itself or as an appetizer. If you pair it up with Dingolay Gourmet Hot Sauce, we assure you everyone will forget about the main course. To make Calamari Rings a perfect dish to serve at a brunch or hi-tea, pair it with the following dishes.
Risotto Recipe
In Spain and Italy, Calamari Rings are served with Risotto. Calamari Rings taste heavenly with Risotto. Prepare the two, and serve Risotto alongside Calamari Rings as a dip. To make this a proper meal, serve it with French Fries, Key Lime Pie, Tater Tots, and Mint Margarita or Peach Juice.
Calamari Rings – America’s favorite Starter
If you are preparing for a hi-tea, brunch, or even a movie night, Calamari Rings are a perfect choice to replace the regular onion rings with. Moreover, if you are planning for a dainty dinner, serve them with Chicken Sandwiches, African Mofongo, or Roast Chicken.
Although Calamari Rings are served as a starter or appetizer, if you prepare them following our recipe and especially pair them with Dingolay Gourmet Hot Sauces, the dish will go black in seconds.
Storage Options for Calamari Rings
If you have an un-fried, leftover, marinated batch of Calamari Rings with you, you can freeze them in an airtight container for up to two months.
Preparing Calamari Rings takes you less than 30 minutes, so even if you do not have them stored up in the freezer, it is very easy to prepare them if the guests are coming over. Make sure you cut the squid mantle into half-inch rings before freezing them. It will save you time.
Customizing Calamari Rings
There are several ways you can customize Calamari rings according to your liking. A few of the ideas are:
Korean Calamari Rings:
In Korea, Calamari Rings are deep-fried and then topped with mustard and chili sauce. It is then wrapped in lettuce leaves. Not only its addition makes your dining table visually pleasing, but in fact, it will make this appetizer look even more appetizing.
Pasta with Calamari Rings
Replace the regular chicken with smaller Calamari Rings in pasta, and we assure you, you will be in for a treat. If you are making Lo Mein add Calamari Rings with stir-fried vegetables to the egg noodles and create something different.
Air-Fried Calamari Rings
If you do not want to consume a lot of oil and keep it healthy, air fry the Calamari Rings. Spray the fryer with non-stick spray, preheat it at 200 degrees C, and fry them for three minutes.
Dingolay Gourmet Hot Sauce
Dingolay Gourmet Hot Sauce has brought all the flavors to our plates that we have been missing out. Prepared with exquisite Caribbean spices, Jamaican Scotch Bonnet Peppers, Garlic infused Carrots, ripened Mangoes, and Pineapples, these sauces are available in four different flavors. Original Dingolay Gourmet Hot Sauce, Mango, and Pineapple Tropical Dingolay Gourmet Hot Sauce, and Scorpion Dance Dingolay Gourmet Hot Sauce. These sauces are vegan-friendly, gluten-free, and packed with several health benefits. Moreover, pair them with any meal, and their natural flavors will not overpower the natural flavors but rather enhance their taste.
Serve Calamari Rings with Dingolay Gourmet Hot Sauce, and you will be in for a treat. Try our Calamari Rings recipe, and share your views with us in the comment section below!