A lime and lemon dipping sauce is a vibrant pairing to these crispy fried prawns.
The key to tempura batter is to prepare it at the last minute and use cold water. It’s also possible to add vegetables to the same batter; however, thicker ones should be blanched first.
TEMPURA PRAWNS WITH CITRUS SAUCE
Serves 4-6
400g banana prawns
¼ cup flour, to dust
Oil, to fry
Dipping sauce
2 Tbsp soy sauce
2 Tbsp mirin
2 Tbsp white sugar
Zest and juice of 1 lime
2 tsp lemon zest
Batter
1 egg
1 cup cold water
1 tsp salt
¾ cup plain flour, sifted
¼ tsp baking soda
- To prepare the dipping sauce, combine the soy sauce, mirin, sugar, zest, and juice in a jar.
- Leave the heads and tails on the prawns and peel the shells between them. Pat dry with a paper towel.
- Close to the cooking time, make the batter. Whisk the egg and cold water until frothy. Add the salt, flour and baking soda.
- Heat a deep fryer or 2cm oil to medium heat in a deep frying pan.
- Dust the prawns with flour, then dip them into the batter and directly into the fryer. It is always advisable to test one to ensure the oil is at the correct temperature. Cook for 3 to 4 minutes until they are crispy and golden.
- Serve hot with the dipping sauce.
