Squid fry recipe, also known as Kanava roast, kanava fry or koonthal fry is a popular recipe from Kerala. Tender Squid rings are roasted with spices, ginger and garlic in coconut oil to create this fried masala coated squid.
Squid Fry
I am seeing squid all over fish market, they are in season right now. Hubby got a bunch of those few days back and I made this delicious kanava roast. Everyone in the family loved it.
About Squid Fry (Koonthal Fry)
Squid is popular in coastal areas of India and Sri Lanka, such as Kerala and Tamil Nadu. We make variety of dishes using squid like curry, roast and calamari fritters. It is also known as koonthal, kanava, or kadamba in Kerala and Tamil Nadu.
This recipe is a simple yet flavourful fry recipe made with squid. You add all the spices, ginger, garlic, coconut oil and curry leaves along with squid before cooking. Traditionally it is roasted in an earthern ware pot, but you can use cast iron pan.
Don't be afraid to add more oil when roasting the squid, it helps with the flavour and gets roasted colour.
Similar Recipes
Ingredients
- Squid - make sure to choose small squid which are more tender and cooks faster.
- Spice powders - chilli powder, turmeric, garam masala, pepper powder are the basic spices used in the squid.
- Coconut oil - be generous with the coconut oil, it helps with the roasting process.
- Lemon juice - a little lemon at the end adds zing and flavour.
- Ginger Garlic - I always add ginger and garlic when making seafood, it hides the fishy aroma.
Step by Step Pictures
Prepare & Clean Squid
1)You can ask your fish monger to clean the squid for you. Else you have to clean it first. First remove the inserts. I like to keep the tentacles and discard the head. There will be plastic like substance inside the body of squid, remove and discard it. Peel off the skin from squid. Rinse it well.
2)Cut the squid into rings and take it in a bowl.
Marination
3)Now add in all the marination into the squid. Add ginger garlic paste.
4)Add in turmeric powder, chilli powder and garam masala powder.
5)Add in curry leaves and coconut oil.
6)Sprinkle black pepper powder and salt.
7)Mix this really well and set aside for 15 to 30 minutes to marinate.
Cooking Squid
8)Heat coconut oil in a cast iron pan. it is best to use cast iron pan so the fry cooks faster.
9)Cook this on high heat until the squid gets cooked.
10)in about 5 to 8 minutes, the excess moisture will evaporate and the squid will get some colour.
11)Add in some coconut oil to the pan and toss through. Let it caramelize and roast.
12)This is the texture you are looking for. It should be fried and darker in colour. Add in some lemon juice and toss well.
13)Serve hot with rice.
📖 Get Recipe
Squid Fry Recipe | Kanava Fry Recipe | How to Make Koonthal Fry
Equipment
Ingredients
- 10 medium Baby Squid cut into rings
- 1 tablespoon Coconut Oil
For Marination
- 1 tablespoon Ginger Garlic Paste
- 1 tablespoon Kashmiri chilli powder
- 1 teaspoon Black Pepper powder
- 1 teaspoon Turmeric Powder
- 1 teaspoon Garam Masala Powder
- 2 sprig Curry leaves
- 1 tablespoon Coconut Oil
- Salt to taste
To add in the end
- 1 tablespoon Lemon Juice
- 2 tablespoon Coconut Oil
Instructions
- Take cleaned and sliced squid in a bowl. Add all the marination ingredients in the bowl. Mix well and let it marinate for 15 to 30 minutes.
- Heat an earthernware pot or cast iron pan on high heat. Add in 1 tablespoon of coconut oil. Let the oil get hot. Add in the marinated squid and toss in the oil. Let the squid cook and get dark golden colour. It will take around 8 to 10 minutes.
- In the end add in 2 tablespoon of coconut oil and roast the squid till it gets darker in colour. Now add in lemon juice and toss well. Serve hot.
Anna Almeida
Lovely click. Will definitely try
Anonymous
Will try out this recipe of squid. Its tempti g. Nice pictures. Thanks
Vane
I made squid fry today and it was mmh hmm... very yum my.my dad finger liked. Thank you aarthi .. It made my day.
Anonymous
I made this today.. it was yummmyyyyyy... 😉 thanku dear for the wonderful recipe
Chinnu
The best simple squid recipe.... It tasted yummy, thanks...
I used coconut oil, so it gave a Kerala touch to it... Yummm
Angel
Finger licking good. Tried today
Sundar
It is good one except the instructions are not clear or it is confusing. It says :Take all the ingredients except squid in a bowl and mix well. I think it should be Take all the ingredients except OIL in a bowl and mix well.. Nowhere it is shown that curry leaves are needed. There is no instruction about the heat low, medium or high to cook the squid. But suddenly it says now increase the heat and roast them. So quid should be cooked in slow or medium heat before roasting.
Aarthi
U have to cook in medium heat. Edited the recipe.