Kalamarakia Tiganita Salad

Kalamarakia Tiganita ( Calamari ) is a traditional Greek dish that consists of small squid that is fried in olive oil and served with a lemon sauce. The dish is typically made with baby squid, but it can also be made with larger squid. Kalamarakia Tiganita is typically served as an appetizer, but it can also be served as a main course. This recipe is for a Kalamarakia Tiganita salad.

It is full of flavor

The dish is best when the squid is fresh, so it is often made with Kalamari that has been caught the same day. Kalamarakia Tiganita salad is a simple dish, but it is full of flavor. The lemon sauce gives the squid a zesty flavor, while the olive oil helps to keep the squid moist. Kalamarakia Tiganita salad is a delicious way to enjoy fresh Kalamari.

Ingredients

prep time: 2.5 hours
Cook time: 10 minutes
Servings : 4

Ingredients;

• ½ cup Sparkling water
• ½ large Lemon, juiced
• ¼ teaspoon Baking soda
• ½ teaspoon Sugar
• ⅛ teaspoon Salt
• 15 oz. Fresh or Frozen Calamari, thawed

Salad Dressing/Dipping Sauce:

• 1 ½ cup Panko Bread Crumbs or homemade crumbs made from day old bread
• ½ cup Almonds 
• 1 clove Garlic, minced
• ½ large Lemon, juiced
• 2 ½ tablespoon Extra Virgin Olive Oil
• 6 tablespoon Plain Greek Yogurt
• 3 tablespoon Mayonnaise
• Salt, to taste

Fry Coating:

• 1 cup All-purpose Flour
• 2 tablespoon Yellow Cornmeal
• ½ teaspoon Salt
• 2 ½ cup Vegetable Oil

Salad:

• 4-5 cup Mixed Salad Greens of choice
• 1 medium Shallot, sliced
• 1 cup Cherry Tomatoes, sliced in half
• 1 Cucumber, sliced

Directions

Directions

• 1. In a large bowl, combine sparkling water, lemon juice, baking soda, sugar and salt. Add calamari. Put it in the fridge for two hours so it will be cold.
• 2. If you want to make your own bread crumbs, add day-old bread crumbs to a food processor and pulse. If you want to add almonds, pulse them until they are in small pieces.
• 3. If you are using panko, add it now. Then add garlic, lemon juice, olive oil, yogurt, and mayonnaise. Mix until everything is mixed in well. Season with salt to taste. Put it in a covered bowl or jar and put it in the fridge.
• 4. Take the calamari out of the refrigerator after 2 hours. Drain it in a colander, but don't rinse it or dry it off. Just shake the colander to get rid of any excess moisture.
• 5. You will need 4 plates or bowls. On each one, put some salad greens. Then add some shallots, tomatoes, and cucumbers to each plate.
• 6. In a medium bowl, mix together flour, cornmeal, and salt. Set aside.
• 7. Put vegetable oil in a pot and heat it to 340 degrees.
• 8. When cooking calamari, put a double layer of paper towel on a plate to absorb the oil.
• 9. Put a few calamari rings into the flour mixture. Toss them around to coat them with the flour. Shake off any excess and test the temperature of the oil by putting a corner of one ring into the oil. If it sizzles, it is hot enough and you can add a few rings at a time to the hot oil. Do not overcrowd the oil or it will cool down too much and make your calamari greasy instead of crispy. Cook 1 – 3 minutes or until just lightly golden. Do not over cook them.
  10. Take the cooked pieces of calamari off the paper towel-lined plate and put them on another plate. Keep doing this until all calamari has been cooked.
  11. You can add dressing to salads and top them with cooked calamari.
  12. Add salt and fresh cracked paper to taste.