Crispy Calamari Salad with Honey Mustard Dipping Sauce

I was watching the cooking on our usual weekday nights after dinner when I stumbled upon celebrity chef Ching's cooking show "Easy Chinese". She was preparing some simple dishes for a party and her calamari salad immediately caught my attention.

The next morning, I went to the wet market to buy the squid so that I can prepare for dinner. I also prepared some salad and celery sticks to go with it as the calamari rings are deep-fried.

Crispy calamari rings

Recipe adapted from Ching, with some modifications

Ingredients:

Squid, cleaned and cut into rings

For the batter:

3 eggs, lightly beaten

5 tablespoons of potato starch (I used corn starch instead)

2 tablespoons of rice flour 

Pinch of salt

Pinch of paprika powder


Method:

1. Whisk together the eggs, potato starch, rice flour, salt and paprika powder.
2. Coat each squid ring well with the batter. 
3. Heat up oil in the wok. Deep fry the coated squid rings until a light golden brown, 1 to 2 minutes.

Home made honey mustard dipping sauce

1 tablespoon of Dijon mustard

1 tablespoon of mayonnaise

1 tablespoon of honey

Method:

Mix together all the ingredients. Adjust according to taste.


Tips:

1. Remember to pat dry your squid rings before dipping in the batter.

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Chinese New Year preparation

To share a bit of my background, I am a Malaysian Chinese, married to a Malaysian Indian. Therefore, there is no arguments as to whose hometown we should go back during festive season.

Every year, we will gather in my uncle's house in Ipoh on the first day for reunion dinner. However, my husband is a workaholic I would say, and January till April is his peak period (auditors you know). Therefore, we will usually go back for a short trip due to hubby's work commitments.

When we first got married, we have mutually agreed that we will hold alternate Chinese New Year and Deepavali Open House every year. Since we have held our Chinese New Year open house last year, we will not be having it this year.

However, I still do some preparation and spring cleaning for the mood of CNY.

This year, we have bought the pussy willow plant and placed it in the living room. I have also decorated it with some ang pow packets.

Besides that, I also plan to send all my curtains to the laundry. This is quite challenging, as we only have 1 set of curtains. So need to send them by batches.

Ever since i picked up baking, I have tried making some CNY cookies such as pineapple tarts, seaweed crisps, cornflake cookies, chocolate chip cookies, walnut cookies etc. These are mainly for own consumption.

Few more days to CNY. Gong Xi Gong Xi.