Ebi Tempura

Ingredients

• 16 large prawns, peeled with tails left on and deveined
• 1 tsp salt, for cleaning the prawns
• 1 egg yolk, cold
• 200 ml ice-cold water
• 120 g plain flour (maida), chilled, plus 3 tbsp for dusting
• 30 g cornflour
• 4 ice cubes
• 1 l neutral oil, for deep frying
• 1 small carrot, cut into thin half-moons (optional, for frying)
• 150 ml water, for the dipping sauce
• 3 tbsp light soy sauce
• 2 tbsp mirin
• ½ tsp sugar
• 80 g white radish (mooli), finely grated and lightly squeezed
• 1 tsp fresh ginger, finely grated

Instructions

1. Make the dipping sauce. Simmer the 150 ml water, soy sauce, mirin and sugar in a small pan for 2 minutes, then pour into a bowl and let it cool to room temperature.
2. Rub the prawns with the salt, rinse under cold water and pat completely dry with paper towels. Dry prawns keep the batter from sliding off and the oil from spitting.
3. Straighten each prawn. Make 4 or 5 shallow cuts across the belly, then press the back gently to flatten and snap the tendons. Cut off the tip of each tail and squeeze out any water.
4. Pour the oil into a deep, heavy pot, about 6 cm deep, and heat to 170–180°C. Set a wire rack over a tray beside the stove.
5. While the oil heats, toss the prawns and carrot in the 3 tbsp dusting flour and shake off the excess. Keep them in the fridge until the batter is ready.
6. Mix the egg yolk with the ice-cold water in a bowl and add the ice cubes. Tip in the flour and cornflour all at once and stir with chopsticks for about 10 seconds. The batter should be thin and lumpy, with streaks of dry flour. Do not whisk smooth.
7. Hold a prawn by the tail, dip it into the batter and let the excess drip off. Lower it into the oil with the tail up and fry 3 or 4 prawns at a time for 2–3 minutes, turning once, until pale golden and crisp.
8. Lift the prawns onto the rack, never onto paper towels, which make them soggy. Skim stray crumbs from the oil and let it return to 170–180°C between batches. Repeat with the remaining prawns.
9. Fry the carrot slices by the spoonful as small clusters of batter for 2 minutes until crisp, then drain on the rack.
10. Serve straight away. Stir half the grated radish and ginger into the dipping sauce and put the rest on a small plate beside the tempura.

Tips

• Keep the batter very cold. Mix only a small amount at a time, or keep the bowl set over a larger bowl of ice, so the coating stays light.
• Cutting the belly lightly stops the prawns curling into a ball and gives a straighter, neater shape.
• Check the oil with a thermometer. Below 160°C the tempura turns greasy; above 190°C it browns before the prawns cook through.
• Cooked prawns should be opaque and firm. Do not overcrowd the pot, as this lowers the oil temperature.