Air fryer recipe · Starters
Zesty Calamari Rings
Light, tender calamari rings with a crisp peppery shell and a squeeze of lemon.
- 16 minTotal time
- 190°CAir fryer
- 6Serves
- Non-vegetarianDiet
Nutrition per serving
- 105kcal
- 3.9 gprotein
- 19.4 gcarbs
- 1.1 gfat
- 1.1 gfibre
Per serving, about 6 servings. Figures are estimates from standard ingredient databases, not medical, dietetic, or nutritional advice.
Ingredients
- Squid tubes, sliced into rings350 g
- All-purpose flour3/4 cup
- Semolina1/4 cup
- Egg, beaten1
- Black pepper & salt1.5 tsp
- Lemon zest1 tsp
Method
Prep the rings
Rinse the squid rings and pat them completely dry, because surface water steams the coating and makes calamari rubbery. Soaking them in a little milk for 15 minutes first helps keep them extra tender.
Make the seasoned coat
Mix the flour, semolina, salt, black pepper and lemon zest in a shallow bowl. The semolina gives a sandy, shatter-crisp crunch that plain flour alone simply cannot deliver.
Dredge twice
Dip the rings in the beaten egg, then turn them through the seasoned flour mix so they are fully cloaked. For a thicker, sturdier crust, repeat the egg and flour step a second time.
Oil and arrange
Mist the rings generously with oil on both sides so the coating fries crisp instead of drying out pale. Spread them out in a single layer so hot air can reach every ring.
Air-fry quickly
Air-fry at 190C for 8 min, shaking the basket once at the halfway point. Cook just until golden and crisp, since overcooking turns calamari tough, and serve when the rings are opaque and cooked right through.
