Although it seems luxurious, squid is basically a food ingredient that is easy to find, cheap, and in fact very easy to prepare. Trauma from ever eating squid that has an unusually tough texture? Don't worry, this article explains various ways to process squid properly so that the texture is not too tough and certainly shakes the tongue!
Step
Method 1 of 3: Cleaning and Processing Whole Squids
Step 1. The price of whole squid is much cheaper than a serving of calamari (flour-fried squid)
Before processing it, there are some parts of the squid's body that you must first dispose of. Although it looks disgusting, this process is actually very easy. You only need to prepare a sharp knife and be willing to get your hands dirty.
Step 2. Squeeze the squid's head with two fingers and pull the head
This is probably the most disgusting step in the whole process, so it's best if you do it first. Firmly grasp the squid's tail, squeeze its head, and pull it horizontally.
So that the squid ink doesn't splatter, it's best to do this process over the sink
Step 3. Cut off the head of the squid just before the eye to prevent the ink sac from bursting
Remove the head and eyes of the squid, leaving the ink sac attached to the head. Delicious squid ink is used in soups or pastas. If you want to use it, cut off the end of the ink sac and pour the black liquid inside into a bowl.
Step 4. Remove the squid's mouth that is between the tentacles
The mouth of the squid is small, hard-textured, located in the middle of the head, and is surrounded by tentacles. Squeeze with both hands to remove it.
Cut the ends of the tentacles to the same length, set aside. The tentacles are ready to cook
Step 5. Pull out the two squid 'fins' that are shaped like wings
You can also cut it with a knife, but pulling it out will make it easier to peel the skin off later. Squeeze the fins firmly with your thumb and forefinger, then pull them out. The fins will come off easily.
Step 6. Remove the cartilage in the squid's body
You will find them along the squid's stomach. Gently pull until the bone comes off. It's possible that these bones have broken inside the squid's body, so make sure you find them and thoroughly clean them before starting to cook.
Step 7. Use the back of a knife to clean the squid's internal organs
Starting from the tip, push the remaining dirt inside the squid's body until it is clean. If you're not disgusted, just use your hands or use a spoon to clean it.
Step 8. Remove the slimy purple layer that covers the squid's body
Trim the ends so they peel off a little, then pull the rest off until they're completely removed. If you find it difficult, use a sharp knife to gently scrape off the coating. Wash thoroughly under cold running water.
Step 9. Cut the squid according to taste
If you want to make calamari, cut it crosswise into rings. For another variation of the dish, cut one side of the squid's body so that it can be spread out and form a flat plane, cut into squares.
If you want it to be more practical, make cross strokes on the squid's body so that it looks beautiful when cooked
Method 2 of 3: Making Calamari
Step 1. Gently pat the cleaned squid with a paper towel to absorb the excess water
To make calamari, you need to cut the squid into small pieces and not too thick. Absorb excess water on the body of the squid, cut it crosswise using a sharp knife to the desired thickness.
Half a kilogram of fresh squid is usually equivalent to 250 grams of calamari. This amount is quite a lot for one person to eat
Step 2. You can first soak the squid in the buttermilk solution to make it softer in texture and tastier
Trust me, you won't regret going through this process first. But if you don't have the time, you can certainly skip this process. Hard to find buttermilk? Making it yourself is surprisingly easy:
- Mix 500 ml of milk with the juice of one large lemon. Add a little chili sauce if you want spicy calamari.
- Let stand for 4-5 minutes until the solution looks thickened.
- Soak the squid in the buttermilk solution, let stand for 3-4 hours. Drain the squid, gently patting it with a paper towel to absorb the excess liquid.
Step 3. Mix 220 g of flour, 1 tsp
salt, and 1 tsp. pepper into a medium bowl. If you like, add other spices such as chili powder, chopped dried chilies, or chopped paprika. Stir well.
Step 4. Roll the squid pieces into the flour mixture, pressing until all the squid pieces are coated in flour
Do it until the squid pieces run out.
Step 5. Heat the oil over medium heat
When frying calamari, use plenty of oil to cover the squid. If you have a thermometer, heat the oil until it reaches 180 degrees Celsius. You can also use a deep fryer that is set to the same temperature. If you don't have a thermometer, wait for small sparks to appear indicating the oil is hot and ready to use.
Step 6. Fry the squid pieces
Keep in mind, don't add too many squid at once to maintain the temperature. The drop in temperature when you fry too much will result in an overly oily fry. Fry the squid for 2-3 minutes or until they turn golden brown. Every now and then, turn the squid over when one side looks browned.
If you want calamari that is crunchy on the outside but soft on the inside, heat the oil until it reaches 200 degrees Celsius. When the oil is hot, add the squid and fry for 1-1.5 minutes only
Method 3 of 3: Saute Squid
Step 1. Squid stir-fried with simple spices is suitable for those of you who want a quick, practical, but still delicious dish
The squid only need to cook for 30-45 seconds so you can be sure that the meat covered in the spices will stay soft. Start by dicing the tentacles and body of the squid as desired.
Step 2. Heat tbsp
oil on medium heat. Wait until the oil is really hot as you will quickly cook the squid. Cooking the squid for too long will make the meat tough when eaten.
Step 3. Saute the spices you use for 1-2 minutes
You can use any herbs, spices, and vegetables that suit your taste buds. Saute the spices in hot oil for a few moments until slightly wilted. The simple recipe below is worth a try:
- 1-2 cloves of garlic, finely chopped.
- 40 g onions
- 50 gr chopped dry cayenne pepper.
Step 4. Add the squid and cook for 30 seconds
Again, don't add too much at once so the oil temperature doesn't drop. If using a large skillet, you can cook one squid at a time. Stir quickly during cooking.
Step 5. Add seasonings and stir again for 10-25 seconds
Turn off the stove, the squid is ready to serve. One of the easiest ways to determine if a squid is done is by looking at its color. The ripe squid turns white and is no longer transparent. You can eat it with pasta, rice, or just mix it up. The three variants of the blend of spices below are worthy of your try as an alternative dish that is no less delicious:
- 1 tbsp. soy sauce and a handful of coriander.
- A pinch of salt, pepper and lemon juice for flavor.
- Salt, pepper and squid ink.
