Greek · Authentic-ish Greek
Kalamarakia
205 kcal a serving, against 554 for the traditional version. That is 349 kcal off, or 63%, with 30.1g of protein. Serves 4. 20 minutes.
What the traditional version is
Fresh squid rings coated heavily in seasoned plain flour. Dropped into a massive vat of boiling sunflower oil until golden and crispy. Served simply with salt and a squeeze of fresh lemon juice. The thick batter acts as a giant sponge for the hot fat.
What changed, and what each change costs
Deep-fried batter down to a fast, hot grill
Deep-frying requires large amounts of oil and flour. The batter soaks up the fat, which spikes the energy in the dish massively without adding a single gram of protein. Grilling the squid naked over a high heat strips out all that excess fat and starch.
What it costs you. You lose the crunch completely. So: a sleek plate of grilled seafood. A bowl of crispy pub grub was never on the table once the fat came out. You've got to accept that texturally, it's a completely different meal.
A vat of sunflower oil down to a tiny splash of olive oil
A pan of frying oil is heavy and leaves a greasy coating in your mouth. Tossing the squid in a tiny amount of olive oil before it hits the grill prevents sticking and adds a much better, authentic Mediterranean flavour.
What it costs you. You lose the rich, comforting blanket of saturated batter. You've also got to watch the grill like a hawk, because without the protective batter, the squid will turn to rubber if left on the heat for too long.
Plain salt and lemon down to a raw garlic and oregano dressing
Without the deep-fried batter, the squid needs a bit more help to carry big flavours. A sharp dressing of garlic, lemon juice and dried oregano steps up to the plate. It punches right through the smoky char from the grill.
What it costs you. Garlic is the first thing that burns on a hot grill, so you've got to add it after cooking. It brings a raw, sharp heat that the traditional fried version lacks entirely, which might surprise purists.
The numbers
| Per serving | Traditional | Lightened |
|---|---|---|
| Calories | 554 | 205 |
| Protein | 33.7g | 30.1g |
| Fat | 31g | 5.9g |
| Saturated fat | 3.5g | 1g |
| Carbohydrate | 33.5g | 6.3g |
| Protein per 100 kcal | 6.1g | 14.7g |
Every figure is computed from the recipe's own weighed ingredient list against public food composition databases. The appendix in Authentic-ish Greek prints the exact database row used for each ingredient, so any number here can be checked.
Allergens. molluscs.
The method is in the book
A fantastic trade. You miss the deep-fried crunch, but the smoky char and the aggressive hit of raw garlic easily make up for it. It feels exactly like eating in a proper Greek taverna, and you completely avoid the massive clean-up operation that comes with deep-frying at home.
The quantities and the method for this dish are in Authentic-ish Greek, along with 56 more. Buy the paperback