Tempura chilli and pepper prawns with yuzu mayonnaise

Serves 4 Starters and mains

Tempura chilli prawns

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Ingredients

  • 750g raw whole prawns
  • 85g 00 pasta flour, plus extra for dusting
  • 35g cornflour
  • 1⁄2tsp baking powder
  • 1⁄4tsp ichimi togarashi (Japanese red pepper flakes)
  • 1⁄4tsp sansho (Japanese pepper)
  • 2 egg whites
  • 250ml soda water, chilled
  • sunflower oil, for deep-frying

For the yuzu mayonnaise

  • 2 egg yolks, at room temperature
  • 1 garlic clove, finely grated
  • 2tsp Dijon mustard
  • 11⁄2tsp white balsamic vinegar
  • 200ml sunflower oil
  • 100ml extra virgin olive oil
  • 1tbsp yuzu juice

Method

To make the yuzu mayonnaise, place the egg yolks, garlic, mustard, vinegar and some sea salt in a bowl and whisk to combine. Slowly drip in the oils, whisking continually (a squeezy bottle is good for this). As the mixture starts to emulsify and thicken, add the oil a little bit faster. When 200ml of the oil has been used up, add 1 teaspoon of the yuzu juice and continue adding the oil in a slow, steady stream until it gets thicker and all the oil is incorporated. Add the remaining yuzu juice and check for seasoning. Set aside and chill until ready to serve.

To make the tempura prawns, remove the heads and body shells, leaving the tail shell. Devein by cutting down the back and pulling out the grey line. Dust with the extra 00 flour, so they are dry.

When ready to eat, heat the oil to 170C in a heavy-bottomed saucepan large enough to hold about 4 prawns at once.

In a bowl, combine all the dry ingredients with a pinch of sea salt. In a separate bowl, whisk the egg whites just to break them up then mix with the chilled soda water and gently add to the dry mixture to get a lumpy floury mixture.

Dip one prawn at a time into the batter (avoiding the tail if possible) and carefully lower into the hot oil (you may need to fluctuate the temperature so the batter doesn’t over-brown before the prawns are cooked through). They will take about 3 minutes to cook.

Remove from the oil with a slotted spoon and drain on a plate lined with kitchen paper. Serve alongside the mayonnaise.

Recipes and food styling: Linda Tubby. Photography and prop styling: Angela Dukes.
Tempura chilli prawns
Recipes and food styling: Linda Tubby. Photography and prop styling: Angela Dukes.

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