Pla Meuk Tod Gratiem: Thai Garlic Pepper Calamari

This was my first attempt at cooking squid. I have always been worried about over-cooking it so I have stayed away. However, after making this recipe, my worries vanished. The calamari was tender and succulent with the moist flesh coated in the delicious crunch of the golden garlic.

The recipe took 10 minutes to make and 3 minutes to completely demolish, it was so good.   

Pla Meuk Tod Gratiem Recipe

3 medium squid bodies, cleaned
3 tbs of fish sauce
1 tsp of ground white pepper
10-15 garlic cloves, minced
1 tbs of tapioca starch
1 tbs of unbleached flour
3 cups of peanut oil
A handful of coriander to garnish
Sriracha Sauce (a popular Thai chili sauce) for dipping

Method:

1. Wash the squid body well. It will be very slippery so hold on to it tightly. Pat dry well with a paper towel.
2. Slice the squid to make calamari rings around 2cm wide.
3. Place in a bowl and cover in fish sauce. Set aside for about 20 minutes.
4. In the meantime, mince the garlic. Set aside.
5. Mix the tapioca starch and flour in a bowl with the pepper.
6. Drain the calamari rings of fish sauce, and dredge evenly in the flour and pepper mixture and then the garlic.
7. When you're ready to fry the calamari, heat the oil to a medium high heat in a wok.
8. Test the oil by dropping in a piece of garlic. It should sizzle and not burn. Watch out for hot spitting oil!
9. Gently add about 4 calamari rings, one at a time, into the hot oil with a either a large slotted spoon or chopsticks.
10. Fry the calamari for up to one minute or until the garlic turns a golden colour. Once the rings are ready, remove them with a slotted spoon and place gently on paper towels.
11. Remove the pieces of garlic floating in the oil before the next batch of calamari goes in.
12. Once the calamari is ready, serve on a plate and garnish with the coriander and serve with Sriracha sauce.

Comments

[Christiane]

Now this looks amazing. I'm such a huge fan of calamari but I've never attempted to make my own. This recipe looks easy enough to start with.

[annette]

this looks fab! my garlic loving partner will love this :)

[Patricia Scarpin]

That looks delicious and not difficult to put together!

[Steamy Kitchen]

I would give away my rice cooker to have a plate of this RIGHT NOW

[Butta Buns]

There's nothing better than fresh calamari, hot from the fryer!

[email2me]

Wow! Looks very easy to prepare and tasty too ... Must try it over the weekend and eat it in front of the TV XD

[C. Marshall]

Huy Fong Sri Racha is not a thai hot sauce.