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Fish, Africa and overseas

Mozambican grilled calamari with rice

Mozambican grilled calamari is a bold seafood dish marinated in garlic, lemon and piri piri chili, served with rice and salad. Made for 4 people, it takes 40 minutes, rates as easy and costs about €4.00 per person. The trick is grilling the calamari over high heat for a very short time so it stays tender.

Tonight, Mozambique comes to your kitchen with calamari grilled with garlic, lemon and piri piri, served with rice and a fresh salad.

Mozambican grilled calamari with rice
Total time
40 min
Difficulty
Easy
Cost per person
€4.00
Calories per person
560 kcalcalculated by Kiloach, your weight coach
Season
Summer, Spring
The kids
They generally like it

This dish plays on the contrast between tender, lightly charred calamari and a zesty marinade of garlic, lemon and piri piri. The flesh stays soft if the cooking goes fast, the rice soaks up the seafood juices, and the lettuce and tomato salad brings freshness to every bite. It's a straightforward, flavorful dish with no fussy sauce involved.

It's a great pick for a weeknight dinner when you want something different without spending hours in the kitchen, or for a summer meal shared outdoors. The chili level is easy to adjust to everyone's taste, which makes it kid friendly if you go light on the piri piri. Mon Chou can help you keep rotating seafood dinners without the mental load.

The ingredients

4 people

Fish counter

  • Cleaned calamari 800 g

Fruits and vegetables

  • Garlic 5 cloves
  • Lemon 2
  • Lettuce 1
  • Tomatoes 2

Pantry

  • Piri piri chilioften in the pantry 1 tsp
  • Riceoften in the pantry 300 g
  • Olive oiloften in the pantry 5 tbsp
  • Saltoften in the pantry 1 pinch
  • Pepperoften in the pantry 1 pinch

Allergens Mollusks, Lactose

The step by step recipe

  1. Cut the calamari into rings and tentacles, then mix it with the chopped garlic, lemon juice, piri piri, olive oil, salt and pepper. 30 min

    If you don't have piri piri, a pinch of chili powder works just as well.

  2. Cook the rice in salted water and drain it. 11 min

    Save a bit of the cooking water to warm it up again if serving is delayed.

  3. Wash the lettuce and cut the tomatoes into wedges for the salad, dress with a splash of oil and lemon.

    Dress it at the last moment, since lettuce doesn't hold up well while waiting.

  4. Heat a very hot pan or grill and sear the drained calamari all at once. 4 min

    Don't stir it during the first minute, it needs to lightly brown.

  5. Serve the calamari right away with the rice, the salad and the marinade poured over the top.

    An extra squeeze of lemon at the table perks up the dish.

Our tips to get it right

  • Pick calamari that's already cleaned and pat it dry before marinating, since excess water keeps the pan from browning it properly.
  • Get the marinade and rice ready ahead of time, so cooking the calamari can be the very last step before serving it right away.
  • Use a cast iron pan or a very hot grill, because a pan that isn't hot enough will steam the calamari instead of searing it.

The variations

  • Swap the calamari for peeled shrimp, which cook just as fast in the same marinade.
  • For a vegetarian version, replace the calamari with grilled eggplant slices marinated the same way.
  • For kids, leave the piri piri out of the main marinade and serve a small bowl of hot sauce on the side for adults.

What to serve it with

  • A glass of cold lemonade
  • Bread to soak up the marinade
  • Homemade piri piri sauce on the side

Storage

Calamari tastes best eaten right after grilling, since it toughens as it cools. You can store the rice and salad separately in the fridge for 2 days in a sealed container. Reheat the rice in a pan or microwave, but avoid recooking the calamari, serve it cold in a salad instead.

Questions about this dish

How do you know when calamari is cooked without turning rubbery?

Calamari is ready as soon as it turns opaque and lightly golden, usually in two to four minutes over high heat. Beyond that, it shrinks and toughens, so it's better to pull it a bit early than too late.

Can you prepare the calamari marinade ahead of time?

Yes, you can mix the calamari with garlic, lemon, piri piri and oil up to 2 hours ahead and keep it in the fridge. Beyond that, the lemon starts to cook the flesh and changes its texture.

Can you replace piri piri chili with something else?

A pinch of regular chili powder works just fine if you don't have piri piri. You can also use a minced fresh chili for extra freshness.

Does grilled calamari freeze well?

It's not recommended, since freezing and thawing already cooked calamari makes it chewy. It's best to prepare it fresh and serve it the same day.

How long does it take to make a Mozambican grilled calamari with rice and salad?

Count 40 min in total, prep and cooking included. The recipe is rated “easy”.

How many calories are in a Mozambican grilled calamari with rice and salad?

About 560 kcal per serving, for a recipe meant for 4 people. Calories are calculated by Kiloach, your weight coach, the app that partners with Mon Chou.

How much does a Mozambican grilled calamari with rice and salad cost?

About €4.00 per serving, or €16.00 for 4 people, based on average supermarket prices.

What allergens does this recipe contain?

This recipe contains mollusks, lactose. Always check the labels of the products you buy.

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