Deep fried calamari with garlic and lemon mayonnaise

INGREDIENTS

  • 2 eggs, beaten
  • 500g/1lb 2oz squid, cut into 5mm/¼in rings
  • ½ tsp salt
  • ½ tsp smoked Spanish paprika (many supermarkets and delis sell smoked Spanish paprika. If you can't get hold of any, use the traditional paprika instead)
  • ½ tsp cayenne pepper
  • 250g/9oz plain flour
  • vegetable oil, for deep frying

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For the mayonnaise

  • 200ml/7fl oz mayonnaise
  • 1 garlic clove, crushed
  • ½ lemon, juice only

INSTRUCTIONS

  • For the mayonnaise, mix all the ingredients together and set aside.
  • For the calamari, place enough oil in a wok, large saucepan or deep-fat fryer to come halfway up the pan. Place over a medium heat. If you're using a deep-fat fryer or have a thermometer, heat the oil to 180C/350F. If not, to check the oil is at the right temperature, drop a 2-3cm/¾-1¼in cube of bread into the hot oil. It should become golden and crispy in 1 minute.
  • While the oil is heating, place the flour, cayenne, paprika and salt in a large sandwich bag. Drop in the squid and shake around to coat evenly. This may need to be done in two batches, depending on the size of the bag.
  • Dip the floured squid into the beaten egg and then carefully drop into the hot oil. Fry for 2-3 minutes until golden. Remove from the oil and briefly drain on kitchen paper before serving with the garlic and lemon mayonnaise.