Crispy and perfectly seasoned fried calamari with kimchi aioli is a classic on Urban Brewing’s menu. Daniel shares how you can create this dish at home with just a few simple ingredients including some good quality squid. He also includes his twist on a classic aioli recipe.

Instructions

For the kimchi aioli:

Take the central stalk out of the garlic bulb and pour in the olive oil in its place. Wrap in tinfoil and place the garlic bulb in the oven at 160c for about 30 minutes to roast.

Once roasted, remove the roasted cloves of garlic from the bulb.

In a blender combine the kimchi, lemon juice, and roast garlic together until smooth and mix in the mayonnaise. Set aside ready to enjoy with the calamari.

For the calamari:

Combine all the flour ingredients mix well and set aside.

With the squid take the top and bottom off each tube and slice along one side top open the tube.

Score the tube diagonally along the inside of the tube from top to bottom and then score in the opposite direction making little diamonds along the inside of the squid tube.  Then cut the tube into strips from the top to the bottom this ensures the squid will curl the right way. Repeat for all calamari tubes.

Toss the cut calamari into the egg white ensuring all pieces are coated, then toss the calamari in the flour mix again ensuring all pieces are evenly coated.

Once coated fry the calamari in a deep fat fryer at 180c for 45 seconds, drain off extra oil season with a little salt.

Serve with the kimchi aioli.

Preparation time: 
20 min.
Cooking time:
10 min.
Serves:

2

Ingredients

For the Calamari

4 Tubes of Calamari

2 egg whites lightly whipped

150g plain flour

50g ground beer malt (wholemeal flour will work as a substitute)

30g hot chilli powder

20g fine sea salt

20g black pepper

For the aioli

150g Mayonnaise (ideally home-made)

1 bulb of garlic

15ml olive oil

Juice of one lemon

50g kimchi

Pair with

Estrella Galicia Lager

A traditional flavour of marked bitterness and refreshing aftertaste.

Available from: Waitrose, Sainsburys, Majestic, Co-op and Greene King online.