Cinnamon Calamari

I was quite disappointed with the fact that the title reads alliteration, but it doesn't when you say it. However, the fact that this meal tastes fabulous as a starter, or in my case today, a VERY light main (almost embarrassingly so for the 4 of us), makes up for it.
I added a pinch of cinnamon to the semolina and cornflour coating, and it does add a lovely depth. It doesn't hit you over the head with it, just warms the end of the palette. Most recipes call for a batter coating, but that's unnecessary work and mess, just a light coating of seasoned cornflour and crunchy semolina do it for me. Do yourself a favour also by getting baby squid- they're so much more easy to prepare and don't have quite a strong fishy flavour and stay gorgeously tender after their brief cooking. If you have daunting memories of calamari with the texture of chewing gum, this is the one to go for.
1)Warm about 250ml flavourless vegetable oil in a large frying pan. I don't go for full on deep-fat frying; today I was pretty far down the tired scale so a hefty pan of spluttering oil that takes ages to come to temperature, no. A shallow amount of oil is just fine.
2)Chop your baby squid into about cm rings, and just squeeze the tentacles out.
3)Combine about 50g of semolina (polenta would work well here too) with 50g cornflour plus a teaspoon of cinnamon,  1/2 teaspoon paprika and a pinch of salt. Combine them then coat the squid in it.
4)Your oil is ready when a cube of bread dropped in goes brown in under 20 seconds, but it shouldn't burn. Drop the squid in in small batches, recipes will often say a minute each side, but I was confident with these little pieces being cooked in 30 seconds without turning at all. Turn them out, salt more to taste and blot the excess oil with kitchen paper.
5)Prepare a quick garlic mayonnaise by very simply combining 100g mayonnaise (or use half mayo half creme fraiche or sour cream) with about 1 clove of crushed garlic. You don't need much more due to raw garlic's fire. A rule in dipiping sauces is to stir in one bowl and serve in another. It makes a big difference. Dust with a little more cinnamon and serve with the calamari and a few pieces of orange. Much nicer than fresh lemon. Add a gherkin and you're set for the perfect meal.