Prawn Tempura-style light and crispy battered prawns

Ingredients

Tempura

• 16 large raw king prawns, peeled (tails on), deveined
• 100 g plain flour
• 1 egg yolk
• 200 ml ice-cold sparkling water
• Oil for deep frying

Tentsuyu dipping sauce

• 100 ml dashi (or chicken stock)
• 2 tbsp soy sauce
• 2 tbsp mirin
• 1 tsp sugar
• 1 tbsp grated daikon (optional)

Method

1. Prep prawns. Pat dry. Make 3 small slits along the belly to stop them curling.
2. Sauce. Combine all sauce ingredients. Heat gently until sugar dissolves. Cool.
3. Batter. Whisk yolk + ice water. Sift flour over and stir briefly — leave lumps.
4. Heat oil. Heat to 170°C.
5. Dip. Dip prawns in flour, then batter. Lower into oil carefully.
6. Fry. Fry 2-3 minutes until pale gold and crisp. Drain on kitchen paper.
7. Serve. Hot, with tentsuyu dipping sauce.

Tips

• Ice-cold water batter. The lumps make it crispier.
• Don’t overmix the batter. Lumps are good.
• 170°C oil. Too hot = burnt, too cold = oily.