Calamaris Frit Tipazienne

Ingredients

500 grams of fresh whole squid, cleaned

1 cup 250 g chickpea flour

3/4 cup [* about- 200 mL ice cold carbonated mineral water- Vichy

milk for soaking the squid

vegetable oil with little olive oil add for swallow frying

1 teaspoon paprika

1/4 teaspoon cumin,ground coriander, Ras el hanout (click here)

salt/ black pepper

a lemon

slice of bread

Preparation

Once you've cleaned the squid, cut the triangular fins off, and cut the bodies into rings. If the tentacles section is quite big cut it into two or three.

Keep the tentacles and fins separate from the rings and place in two bowls, then cover in milk and leave for at least 2 hours - this helps to keep them tender.

When you are ready to fry, dry off the squid on paper towels first.

Prepare a plate by lining it with paper towels near the frying pot. Optionally use a mesh basket to allow the oil to drain even more.

Turn on the fire for your frying pan.

Prepare the batter while the oil is heating up.

Place the flour in a bowl, tip in some of the ice cold water and stir not too thoroughly as if for a Tempura batter. Add more water as needed to achieve a batter the consistency of pouring cream. Test with a piece of squid - it should coat without running off entirely, just shedding a drip or two.

Place a piece of bread in the pan - it will tell you when the oil is ready. The oil needs to be at quite a high temperature to cook the squid fast:slow cooking means over cooking, and that makes squid rubbery. Don't start to fry until the oil is hot enough and remember not to overcrowd the pan.

Fry in small batches, starting with the tentacles and fins which will cook fastes

The squid rings should cook in just a few minutes. Place a few new pieces in the oil before you remove the now golden calamari to help keep the oil temperature stable, then add the rest of your new batch once all the cooked pieces are out.

If the oil temperature seems to be going too high lower the fire but not too much since if the temperature is too low the batter will go soggy and the oil will penetrate all the way through.

Remove any stray bits of batter while they are golden and before they get too dark and burn. You can nibble on these as a cook's treat or save and serve with the calamari.

Proceed in this way, regularly sprinkling with drops of water from the ice cube, until you have fried all the calamari rings.

In batches, return the fried rings to the oil for a few moments per batch so all of them are warm when you serve. This helps make them extra crisp too.

Transfer the calamari to your serving platter and wait a full minute for them to crisp up before salting. If you salt too early you risk softening the crisp coating

Serve with lemon wedges if you like.

I love calamri this way since you get to taste delicate taste of the squid - which is what this dish is all about.