Spiced Calamari with Curried Aioli

A delicious seafood feast to share with friends and family, with the perfect kick of spice.

Ingredients:

500g squid tubes and tentacles

Marinade:
300ml buttermilk
1tsp salt
1tsp freshly ground black pepper
1tbsp curry powder

Flour coating:
300g flour
1tsp salt
1tsp freshly ground black pepper
1tbsp curry powder
1sp ground turmeric
1tsp garlic powder

Curried Aioli:
1tsp neutral oil
1 heaped tsp Aioli Red Chilli
1tsp curry powder
½tsp ground turmeric
½ jar Roasted Garlic Aioli
Juice of 1 lime

1litre frying oil (such as canola)
A handful of fresh curry leaves
Limes to serve

Method:

1. Prep the squid by slicing the tubes into rings. Combine the marinade ingredients and add the squid to soak for 30 minutes.

2. While the squid’s soaking, continue with the rest of your prep. Mix the flour and spices and set aside.

3. To make the curried aioli, heat 1tsp oil over medium-low heat and gently fry 1 tbsp of Aioli Red Chilli. Stir in the curry powder and ground turmeric and cook for a further minute. Add the Roasted Garlic Aioli to a bowl and mix with the Aioli Red Chilli mixture. Finish by stirring in the juice of 1 lime.

4. Heat 1 litre of oil suitable for frying in a large, heavy-bottomed pan over medium heat to 180°C.

5. Remove the squid from the buttermilk mixture in batches and allow any extra marinade to drip off. Add the squid to the flour mixture and toss to evenly coat. Shake off any excess flour and carefully add the squid to the oil. Fry for 2-3 minutes until golden brown, then remove, with a slotted spoon, to a kitchen towel-lined tray to drain. Ensure the oil returns to temperature (180°C), and then repeat with the remaining squid.

6. Once all the calamari is fried, add a handful of curry leaves to the hot oil and fry for 30 seconds to crisp. Drain and set aside.

7. Serve the calamari with the curried aioli, crispy fried curry leaves and wedges of fresh lime.