Shiso-Wrapped Tempura Prawns

12. January 2007 Shellfish 0

For this recipe, I made my own shiso oil to drizzle the prawns with after flash-frying them, but I also used the leaves to wrap them. A toothpick can hold the leaf in place but I ended up using one of the prawn’s harder feelers as a replacement.

Ingredients:
5 prawns, peeled but with heads intact, deveined, feelers and arms chopped
5 shiso leaves
shiso oil
rice flour
club soda
red pepper flakes
lime
salt, oil

1. Wrap each prawn with a shiso leaf. Use a toothpick to keep the shiso leaf in place.
2. Make batter. In a shallow bowl, combine flour, red pepper flakes and salt. Drizzle club soda slowly and mix until it has that pancake batter consistency. Cover each prawn with batter.
3. In a skillet, heat some oil and flash-fry for about 4 minutes, turning each prawn gently with tongs after two minutes. Remove to a paper towel-lined plate and squeeze with lime juice. Serve immediately.