The Sesame tempura | Iri goma tempura is made by dipping vegetables and shellfish into a light batter, then quickly frying them. Shellfish and fresh asparagus are particularly good when prepared way because they remain very tender and still firm inside. This technique can be used with other vegetables, such as onions, zucchini, and broccoli.
Serves 6
Ingredients:
vegetable oil for deep-frying
all-purpose flour for dredging
3 soft-shell crabs, cleaned and halved
18 large raw shrimp, peeled but with tails left intact
6 scallions (green onions), trimmed and cut in half
9 thin asparagus spears, cut to the same size as the scallions
salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 recipe ponzu or other dipping sauce of your choice, to serve Sesame tempura batter
1⁄2 cup cornstarch
scant 1 cup self-rising flour
3 tablespoons sesame seeds
1 teaspoon sea salt
about 1 1⁄2 cups ice water
Method:
1. To make the tempura batter, put the cornstarch, self-rising flour, sesame seeds, and sea salt in a bowl. Whisk in the ice water, and mix together to form a slightly lumpy batter, rather than a smooth one—tempura batter should have small lumps of dried flour.
2. Half-fill a large high-sided pan with vegetable oil for deep-frying, and heat over a medium-high heat until 180°C (350°F). To check whether the oil is the right temperature, fry a small piece of bread—it should turn golden in about 15 seconds. Season the all-purpose flour with salt and black pepper.
3. Start with the halved soft-shell crabs. Dredge with the seasoned flour, shaking off any excess flour. Dip the crab in the batter. Taking care not to splash the hot oil, lower the crab into the oil, and deep-fry for 3–4 minutes until golden brown, turning once during cooking. Drain on paper towels. Repeat the process with the shrimp.
4. Deep-fry the shrimp for 2 minutes until they are pale golden, cooking them in batches so that the temperature of the oil does not drop. Drain on paper towels. Lastly, batter and deep-fry the scallions and asparagus in the same way. Cook for 1–2 minutes so that they are still crunchy and not overcooked.
5. Serve everyone a selection of each type of tempura. Have either individuals bowls of the ponzu dipping sauce or another dipping sauce alongside each serving, or place one bowl in the center of the table. Remember that the dipping sauce needs to have salty, sour, and hot elements to cut the rich sweetness of the fresh shellfish, scallions, and asparagus.
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| Sesame tempura | Iri goma tempura |
