Korean Fried Squid

Clean 200 g squid, cut it into 1 cm rings, and pat every surface dry.

Lightly score the rings or tap them with the back of a knife so they shrink less and hold the batter better.

Beat 1 egg with 120 ml cold water first, then add 100 g frying mix.

Stir briefly with chopsticks or a fork, stopping while small lumps remain, because overmixing makes the coating heavy.

Pour 500 ml cooking oil into a pot and heat it over medium heat to 170°C.

If a drop of batter sinks briefly, then rises with fine bubbles, the oil is ready for frying.

Dip the squid rings in a thin layer of batter and let the excess drip off.

Add only a small batch to the oil at a time, keeping the rings separated so the temperature does not fall.

Fry at 170°C for 3 to 4 minutes, adjusting the heat to keep the oil steady.

Remove the rings when the coating turns pale golden, feels crisp, and the bubbling slows.

Drain the fried squid on a rack so steam does not soften the crust.

Sprinkle lightly with 0.5 teaspoon salt and serve immediately with soy sauce or a soy-vinegar dip while still crisp.