Squid (food)

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Squid is a popular food in many parts of the world.

In many of the languages around the Mediterranean sea, squid are referred to by a term related to the Italian "calamari" (singular "calamaro"), which in English has become a culinary name for Mediterranean dishes involving squid, especially fried squid ("fried calamari").^[1]

Contents 1 Fried squid 2 Worldwide 3 Name 4 Allergies 5 See also 6 References 7 External links

[edit] Fried squid

Fried squid, often called "fried calamari" or even just "calamari", is popular in the cuisine of many Mediterranean countries. It consists of batter-coated, deep fried squid, often fried for less than two minutes to prevent it from becoming too tough. It is usually served plain, with salt and lemon on the side.

In North America, it is a staple in many Italian, Greek, and seafood restaurants, as well as a snack at some bars. It is often served as an appetizer, garnished with parsley, or occasionally sprinkled lightly with parmesan cheese. It is usually served with a dip of some sort, most often peppercorn mayonnaise, tzatziki, or in the United States, marinara sauce. In Mexico it is often served with Tabasco sauce or habanero. Other dips, such as ketchup, aioli, or olive oil, are sometimes served as well. Like many seafood dishes, it is usually served with a slice of lemon, the juice of which may be squeezed over the dish if desired.

In Australia, fried calamari is a common and popular menu item in fish and chip shops, however imitation calamari consisting of white fish is often used. When offered for sale as whole fresh animals, the term Calamari should only be used to describe the Northern and Southern Calamari (Sepioteuthis spp.), however once prepared as food it is common to apply the term calamari to any squid species and even cuttlefish.

In Chinese cuisine, the squid is often diced, coated in a salt and pepper batter and served with a spicy hot garnishing of chili and salt.

[edit] Worldwide

The body can be stuffed whole, cut into flat pieces or sliced into rings. The arms, tentacles and ink are also edible; in fact, the only parts of the squid that are not eaten is its beak and gladius (pen).

Some of the ways squid is prepared:

• In Cyprus, Greece, Italy, Spain and Turkey, squid rings and arms are often coated in batter and fried in oil. Other recipes from these regions feature squid (or octopus) simmered slowly, often with vegetables like squash or tomatoes. When frying, the squid flesh is kept tender by keeping the cooking time as short as possible. When simmering, the flesh is most tender when the cooking time is prolonged and reduced in temperature.
• In Spain a similar recipe (Calamares a la romana, battered calamari, lit. roman-style calamari) has the calamari rings covered in a much thicker batter, deep fried and accompanied with lemon juice and mayonnaise or garlic mayonnaise.
• Also in Spain, stewed in its own black ink (Calamares en su tinta).
• Again in Spain, battered and fried baby squid (Puntillitas).
• In the Philippines squid is most often cooked as adobong pusit, squid in adobo sauce, along with the ink, so it resembles the spanish calamares en su tinta, but with a tangier flavour, especially when fresh chillies are added. In restaurants, the common style is battered squid served with alioli, mayonnaise or chilli vinegar. One does not say "fried calamares" or "calamares fritos" since once one says "calamares" it is understood that the dish is the breaded, deep-fried kind. In casual bars, beer gardens and on the beaches, squid is grilled on coals, brushed with a soy sauce-based marinade, and sometimes stuffed with a tomato-onion filling. The more elaborate kind of stuffed squid is called "rellenong pusit" and is stuffed with finely chopped vegetables, squid fat, and ground pork.
• In Korea, live squid is freshly taken from a tank, killed, cleaned and served quickly. Unlike octopus served in a similar fashion however, squid tentacles do not usually continue to move for long enough to reach the dinner table. This type of fresh squid is called 산 오징어 ("san ojingo") (also with small octopuses called nakji). The squid is served with wasabi/soy sauce, chili pepper sauce or sesame sauce with salt and often wrapped in lettuce or pillard leaves.
• In the Mediterranean, squid or cuttlefish ink is eaten in a variety of dishes such as paella, risotto, soups and pasta; Spaghetti al Nero di Seppia (cuttlefish) being an example.
• In Portugal they are called lulas, they are very popular in Algarve and usually eaten with prosciutto and salad.
• In Croatia squid are often eaten grilled and stuffed with pršut and cheese, accompanied by blitva (Swiss Chard)
• Seafood stews often contain squid.
• In Chinese and South East Asian cuisine, squid is a common ingredient in a variety of dishes such as stir-fries, rice and noodle dishes. It is often heavily spiced.
• Whole grilled squid is a common food item in Asia; they are popular at food stalls in China, Thailand, Japan and Taiwan. In Sardinia they are accompanied by a sauce made from lemon, garlic, parsley, and olive oil.
• Pre-packaged Dried Shredded Squid or cuttlefish are popular snack items in Hong Kong, Taiwan, Japan, Russia, and most other former USSR regions mostly sold in a shredded form due to its chewiness.
• Squid is a common sushi and sashimi item.
• In Japan and Korea, squid (usually Firefly Squid or Spear Squid) is often made into shiokara (in Japanese) or jeotgal (in Korean). Heavily salted squid is left to ferment, sometimes with its innards, for up to a month, and is sold in small jars. This salty, strong flavoured item is served in small quantities as banchan, or an accompaniment to white rice or alcoholic drinks.
• In Korea, dried squid is also a popular accompaniment for alcoholic beverages, called anju. Dried squid is often served with peanuts. Squid is also served roasted, with hot pepper paste and/or mayonnaise as a dip sauce. Steamed squid, or boiled squid, is also a delicacy.
• In India and Sri Lanka, squid or cuttlefish is popular in coastal areas mainly in Tamilnadu and in Kerala. Squid are often eaten as deep fried or squid gravy. In Tamilnadu, squid are often called kanava or kadamba.^{[citation needed]}
• In Russia, a lightly boiled julienned squid with onion rings, garnished with mayonnaise, makes a popular salad. Another popular dish is a squid stuffed with rice and vegetables and then roasted.

[edit] Name

The word Calamari is the plural form of the Italian word for squid, Calamaro.

Also known in as Kalamari, Kalamar (Greek/Turkish), Galama or Calamares (Spanish), the name derives from the Latin word calamarium for "ink pot", after the inky fluid that squid secrete.^[1]

[edit] Allergies

Allergies to calamari are fairly common.^[2]

[edit] See also

• Fish as food

[edit] References

[edit] External links

• Stuffed Calamari Recipe - Step-by-step guide with pictures on how to make stuffed calamari.