Crispy Fried Squid Rings
Squid rings are chewy, subtle in flavour yet perfect as a snack or side dish. Coat it with some crispy flour, eggs and bread crumbs or panko (in Japanese), and we have a lovely crunch on the outside with a chewy texture on the inside.
I love these Crispy Fried Squid Rings with some cilantro stalks and dipped in some Sour Spicy Chicken Chilli Sauce. It’s heaven when served with fried rice, or plain rice and some gravied vegetables.
This recipe serves 4 people.
Crispy Fried Squid Rings Recipe
Ingredients
- 250g of frozen squid rings, thawed
- 2 eggs
- 80g of homemade crispy flour
- 80g of bread crumbs
- 1/2 tsp of salt
- 500g of cooking oil for deep frying
- some cilantro
- some Sour Spicy Chicken Chilli Sauce
Utensils
- stainless steel pan
- whisk
- wooden cooking chopsticks
- large strainer
- mini-strainer
- cooling rack
Method
Preheat the oil for deep-frying in a stainless steel pan over medium heat for about 8-10 minutes.
Meanwhile, prepare the fried squid rings coatings. Break the eggs and whisk until well-combined.
Marinate the squid rings with salt evenly. Place the crispy flour, whisked eggs and bread crumbs into separate deep plates. Prepare one tray for prepared squid rings.
Dip each ring into the homemade crispy flour. Coat it with a single dip of whisk egg, then bury it fully in the bread crumbs. Set aside on the tray, and repeat for the rest of the squid rings.
Test the oil for deep-frying. When it’s ready, arrange each coated squid ring into the hot oil individually, spreading them around the pan.
Cook the fried squid rings for 2-3 minutes, or until browned. Flip them every 20-30 seconds to cook evenly on each side.
Once evenly golden browned, remove from the pan with a strainer, shaking to drip off excess oil. Rest on a cooling rack and repeat for any uncooked squid rings.
Switch off the heat.
Arrange the Crispy Fried Squid Rings on a serving plate with cilantro and a saucer of Sour Spicy Chicken Chilli sauce. Serve immediately.
Tips
Fresh squid works if frozen ones are unavailable. Wash and clean the squid, before cutting into half-inches thick rings.
Crispy homemade flour can be substituted with any tempura flour available. I personally love Gogi Tempura flour, which is tempura flour from Thailand.
The eggs were broken in a separate container to prevent any bad/ not-fresh eggs from contaminating the rest. This is an optional step.
One layer of crispy flour and whisked egg is sufficient to prevent a thick batter from forming. This results in the perfect crispy bread crumb coating to squid ratio.
Once the Crispy Fried Squid Rings are removed, strain the oil of any bread crumbs pieces and discard them. Burnt pieces will affect the oil, making the squid rings bitter.
Strainers and cooling rack prevent oily and soggy squid rings as excess oil is able to drip through the mesh, and moisture is not trapped in between the rings and a flat surface. A kitchen towel can be added on top of a plate if used, however, it may result in limp squid rings. This is because the excess oil is absorbed, but the moisture in the air may be absorbed by the bread crumbs layer.
Storage Instructions
Recommended consuming immediately as warm, crunchy Squid Rings are way better than cold squid rings.
Not recommended to freeze, as thawing will affect the texture of the cooked Crispy Fried Squid Rings and the whisked egg for the uncooked version.
Not recommended to keep in the fridge as the crispy texture will be lost due to the moisture present.
Best Served with
As crunchy and chewy deep-fried food pairs well with dry dishes, this side dish is perfect on its own, or with:
– Fried Rice
– Plain rice with Gravied Vegetables
– Stir Fry Vegetables or Meats
Feel free to serve with different types of sambal for varying flavours or savouriness and spiciness.
Enjoy and happy cooking 😀
Crispy Fried Squid Rings
Equipment
- Frying Pan
- Wooden Chopsticks
- Large strainer
- Stainless Steel Basket
- Cooling Rack
Ingredients
Main
- 250 g squid rings
- 2 egg
- 80 g crispy flour, homemade, or tempura flour
- 80 g bread crumbs
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 500 g cooking oil, unscented
To Serve
- cilantro, optional
- Sour Spicy Chicken Chilli Sauce, optional
Instructions
Preparation
- Preheat the oil for deep-frying in a stainless steel pan over medium heat for about 8-10 minutes.
- Break the eggs and whisk until well-combined. Place the crispy flour, whisked eggs and bread crumbs into separate deep plates. Prepare one tray for prepared squid rings.
- Marinate the squid rings with salt evenly.
- Dip each ring into the homemade crispy flour. Coat it with a single dip of whisk egg, then bury it fully in the bread crumbs. Set aside on the tray, and repeat for the rest of the squid rings.
Cooking
- Test the oil for deep-frying. When it's ready, arrange each coated squid ring into the hot oil individually, spreading them around the pan.
- Cook the fried squid rings for 2-3 minutes, or until browned. Flip them every 20-30 seconds to cook evenly on each side.
- Once evenly golden browned, remove from the pan with a strainer, shaking to drip off excess oil. Rest on a cooling rack and repeat for any uncooked squid rings. Switch off the heat.
Assembly
- Arrange the Crispy Fried Squid Rings on a serving plate with cilantro and a saucer of Sour Spicy Chicken Chilli sauce. Serve immediately.
Video
Notes
Tips:
- Fresh squid works if frozen ones are unavailable. Simply wash and clean the squid, before cutting into half-inches thick rings.
- Crispy homemade flour can be substituted with any tempura flour available.
- One layer of crispy flour and whisked egg is sufficient to prevent a thick batter from forming. This results in the perfect crispy bread crumb coating to squid ratio.
- Once the Crispy Fried Squid Rings are removed, strain the oil of any bread crumbs pieces and discard them. Burnt pieces will affect the oil, making the squid rings bitter.
- Strainers and cooling rack prevent oily and soggy squid rings.
- A kitchen towel can be added on top of a plate. However, it may result in limp squid rings.
Storage Instructions:
- Recommend consuming once cooked as cooled squid rings are soft.