A question about a recipe: Sweet & Spicy Calamari Whats the science behind the use of club soda?

I have a question about step 2 on the recipe "Sweet & Spicy Calamari" from SouffleBombay. It says:

"Pour the club soda into a medium bowl, place the calamari rings in the club soda, stir until all are submerged. Let sit for 10 minutes.
"

Onofrio
  • Posted by: Onofrio
  • June 11, 2011
  • 5477 views
  • 2 Comments
Sweet & Spicy Calamari
Recipe question for: Sweet & Spicy Calamari

2 Comments

betteirene June 13, 2011
Ming Tsai and Alton Brown call for club soda in their recipes for tempura batter, and I use beer or club soda in my recipes for jalapeno poppers, cheese sticks, deep-fried mushrooms and fish and chips. The club soda or beer adds bubbles which help to aerate the mixture, making a lighter batter.
 
Kitchen B. June 12, 2011
I find that recipes that call for ingredients to soak in water are for hydration/seasoning. So for instance, in Nigeria, my sister would always soak her fish in a bowl of salted (room temperature) water, before frying. That way, each piece of fish was perfectly salted. Hope this helps
 
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