Japanese Seafood Recipes - Crunchy Almond Shrimp Japanese Recipe

  
 

Japanese Seafood Recipes - Crunchy Almond Shrimp Recipe

Ingredients

  • 12 large fresh shrimp, about 8 oz (250 g)

  • 2 tablespoons cornstarch, for dusting

  • 1/2 cup (125 ml) Tempura Batter (see recipe)

  • 1 cup (200 g) slivered almonds

  • 4 fresh shiitake mushrooms, stalks discarded and caps cross-cut

  • 8 small Japanese green peppers, or 1 green bell pepper, cut into strips

  • Oil, for deep-frying

  • 4 tablespoons finely grated daikon, to serve

  • Seven-spice chili powder (shichim), to taste (optional)

Tempura Dipping Sauce

  • 1 cup (250 ml) Basic Dashi Stock (see recipe) or 1/2 teaspoon dashi stock granules dissolved in 1 cup (250 ml) hot water

  • 1 1/2 tablespoons Japanese soy sauce

  • 3 tablespoons mirin

Method:

  1. Make the Tempura Dipping Sauce by bringing all the ingredients to a boil in a small saucepan. Remove from the heat and cover to keep warm.

  2. Trim the whiskers and legs of the shrimp with scissors. Peel the shrimp, keep the tails intact and reserve the heads. Make a small slit along the back of each shrimp and d\evin. Make several small incisions crosswise on the underside of each shrimp to prevent it from curling when fried. Pat dry and dust with cornstarch and set aside.

  3. Heat the oil in a wok or saucepan. Dip each shrimp into the Tempura Batter and then press into the almond slivers to coat well. Deep-fry the shrimp until light golden brown. Drain on paper towels and set aside. Repeat with the shrimp heads.

  4. Dust the shiitake mushrooms and green peppers with cornstarch, dip into the Tempura Batter and deep-fry. Drain on paper towels.

  5. Arrange the fried shrimp, mushrooms and green peppers on four platters. Serve immediately with the grated daikon and bowls of warm dipping sauce on the side. Sprinkle each portion with the seven-spice chili powder if desired.

Note: Crunchy Sweet Potato Shrimp, another tasty variation, uses 11/2 cups of coarsely grated sweet potato, tossed in 2 tablespoons of cornstarch in place of the slivered almonds. Dust the shrimp with a little cornstarch, then dip in lightly beaten egg white rather than the Tempura Batter before pressing into the sweet potato.