Kalamar tava
Kalamar tava: crisp fried squid rings with walnut and garlic tarator sauce
TurkishOn the waterfront in Bodrum and in every Aegean fish meyhane, a plate of kalamar tava arrives hot among the cold meze: tender rings of squid in a light, crisp coat, with a bowl of tarator, a thick sauce of walnuts, bread, garlic and lemon, for dipping. The trick is speed; squid is tender after a minute or two in the oil and rubbery after five. Chef's tip: soak the rings in milk or fizzy mineral water for half an hour in the fridge; it tenderises them and helps the coating cling.
- Total time
- 50 min
- Difficulty
- medium
- Serves
- 4
Ingredients
For the squid
For the tarator
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What you'll need
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Method
0/6 doneStep 1: Soak 1 ⅓ lb cleaned squid tubes in ¾ cup milk in the fridge for 30 minutes.
30 minStep 2: Blend 2 ⅞ oz walnuts, 1 ¾ oz stale white bread, 2 cloves garlic, 2 tbsp lemon juice, ¼ cup extra virgin olive oil, ¼ cup cold water and ½ tsp salt to a thick, creamy sauce. Add a splash more water if it's stiff.
Step 3: Heat 4 ¼ cups sunflower oil in a deep pan to 350°F. Mix 3 ½ oz plain flour, 1 ¾ oz cornflour and 1 tsp salt in a bowl.
Step 4: Drain the squid, shake off the milk and toss in the flour in batches, shaking off the excess.
Step 5: Fry in small batches for 1½–2 minutes, until pale golden and the squid is opaque and just firm. Common mistake: frying too long; squid turns rubbery after a couple of minutes.
8 minStep 6: Drain on kitchen paper and serve at once with the tarator and 1 lemon.
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 520 kcal
- Protein
- 29 g
- Carbs
- 37 g
- Fat
- 29 g
- Fibre
- 2 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does kalamar tava take?
- About 50 minutes in total: 40 minutes to prepare and 10 minutes to cook.
- How many people does it serve?
- 4 as written. Change the servings above the ingredients and every amount scales to match.
- What can I use instead of milk?
- Oat, soy or almond milk, same amount (use unsweetened for savoury dishes).
- What can I use instead of plain flour?
- Self-raising flour, same amount (then leave out the baking powder).
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