Wasabi-Shrimp Tempura


The juxtaposition of “light” and “fried” may seem like a mistake, but tempura, a very particular Japanese form of deep-frying, is absolutely ethereal when done right.

Make the accompaniments, such as ginger-garlic tentsuyu sauce or wasabi mayonnaise, first so the tempura batter doesn’t lose its fizz while waiting to be fried.

Ingredients

Vegetable oil (about 1 gallon) for frying
1 1/³ cups white rice flour, divided
¾ tsp. sea salt
1¾ tsp. wasabi powder*
1 large egg yolk, beaten
1 cup cold seltzer or sparkling mineral water
½ lb. large (22 to 25 count**) fresh shrimp, peeled, deveined and patted very dry
Additional sea salt to taste

Preparation

• Pour the oil into an electric deep fryer, following the manufacturer’s filling guidelines. Heat the oil to 375 degrees.

• Combine 1 cup of the rice flour, the sea salt and the wasabi powder in a small bowl. Place the remaining flour in another bowl and set it aside.

• In a medium bowl, combine the beaten egg yolk and cold seltzer water. Gradually add the flour mixture, stirring just to combine.

• Work with 1 or 2 shrimp at a time. Dust them evenly with the reserved rice flour to absorb any remaining moisture and then shake off the excess flour. Dip the shrimp into the tempura batter and, without allowing too much batter to drain off, quickly but carefully ease them into the hot oil. Repeat with 1 or 2 more shrimp, but do not overload the fryer or the oil temperature will drop.

• Fry 1 to 2 minutes, or until the shrimp are crispy and ever-so-lightly browned. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the shrimp to a paper towel-lined pan to sop up any excess oil. Salt to taste and eat immediately. Serve with ginger-garlic tentsuyu sauce or, for extra richness, with wasabi mayonnaise (recipes follow).

* Wasabi is a Japanese form of horseradish that is available in both powder and paste forms in the ethnic sections of most supermarkets.

** The shrimp count indirectly describes the size of the shrimp. In this case, a 22 to 25 count means that shrimp of this size number 22 to 25 per pound – a typical cocktail-size shrimp. Shrimp count ranges widely – from less than 10 to more than 250 to 300 – so it’s best to inquire before you purchase.

Ginger-Garlic Tentsuyu Sauce

Tentsuyu sauce is a traditional tempura accompaniment, generally consisting of 3 to 4 parts reconstituted dashi*, 1 part mirin* and 1 part soy sauce. I’ve added some zip to this basic formulation with garlic and ginger.

1¼ cups

1 package (about 0.4 oz.) dashi in powdered form

¼ cup mirin

¼ cup soy sauce

2 tsp. peeled and finely grated ginger

1 tsp. minced garlic

¾ cup boiling water

• Combine the first five ingredients in a small bowl and add the boiling water. Stir to dissolve the dashi.

• Cool to room temperature before serving. Cover and refrigerate any leftover sauce.

* Dashi is a Japanese soup stock, most often sold in powdered form. Mirin is a sweet Japanese wine made from glutinous rice. Unlike dashi, which is more reliably found in ethnic specialty markets, mirin is available in the Asian section of most supermarkets.

Wasabi Mayonnaise

If you’re feeling adventuresome, buck tradition with this alternative dipping sauce – a homemade mayonnaise with the gentle heat of wasabi.

1 cup

2½ to 3 tsp. wasabi paste, or to taste

2 large egg yolks

Pinch sea salt

1 tsp. freshly squeezed lemon juice

1 cup canola oil

Sea salt to taste

1 to 2 Tbsp. cold water (optional)

• Combine the wasabi paste, egg yolks, sea salt and lemon juice in the bowl of a food processor fitted with a metal blade. Process 1 to 2 minutes, stopping regularly to scrape down the sides of the bowl.

• Gradually drizzle in the oil while keeping the processor running. (Do not rush by adding the oil in large increments. If you do, the result will not be a thick, creamy emulsion but rather a runny and possibly broken sauce.)

• Once the oil has been incorporated and the mayonnaise is quite thick, salt to taste and thin, if desired, by slowly adding water. Turn into a small bowl, cover with plastic wrap and chill well. Serve cold.