Tempura Silver Whiting Fillets with Shichimi Togarashi Salt

Ingredients

800gm Silver Whiting Fillets

½ Cup Plain Flour

½ Cup Corn Flour

1 tsp Baking Powder

1 Egg Yolk

1 Cup (Cold) Soda Water

Sea Salt

Extra Plain Flour, for dusting

Vegetable Oil, for deep frying

2 tbls Shichimi Togarashi, see below

Lemon Wedges, to serve

Shichimi Togarashi

½ Sheet Nori

1 tbls Dried Chilli Flakes

1 tbls Dried Orange Peel

2 tsp Black Sesame Seeds

2 tsp White Sesame Seeds

1 tsp Poppy Seeds

1 tsp Sichuan or Black Peppercorns

1 tsp Ginger Powder

Method

To make the Shichimi Togarashi salt, in a small skillet dry roast the sesame seeds and Sichuan peppercorns until fragrant, taking care not to burn them. Transfer to a plate and allow to cool completely. Place the nori, chilli flakes, orange peel, toasted sesame seeds, peppercorns and ground ginger into a spice grinder. Pulse until coarsely ground. Mix two tablespoons of the Shichimi Togarashi with one tablespoon of sea salt.

In a large bowl, sift together the plain flour, cornflour and baking powder, add a pinch of sea salt.

Whisk the egg yolk and cold soda water together. Add the egg mixture to the flour and gently whisk, taking care not to over mix, keep cold.

Preheat a deep fryer or large saucepan half filled with vegetable oil to 180℃, use a candy thermometer to test the temperature.

Remove the fins from the whiting fillets and dust with plain flour, shaking of any excess. Dip the fillets into the batter, wipe on the side of the bowl to remove excess batter and lower gently into the deep fryer. Cook in batches until crisp and cooked through.

Serve with the Shichimi Togarashi salt and lemon wedges.

Cook’s Tip

Shichimi Togarashi will keep well in a sealed airtight container. Use as a seasoning for seafood, chicken, rice and noodles.

Keep the tempura batter cold, place over a bowl of ice if needed. A cold batter will result in a crispier, lighter batter.

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