Familiar breaded shrimps are elevated here through the use of panko, which is favored for its delicate flakiness and yields a light and crispy crust. Pickled Japanese cucumbers and mitsuba give the dipping sauce a particularly eastern flavor.
Ingredients: (Serves 4)
- 20 raw jumbo shrimps (large prawns)
- 30 g/1 oz/¼ cup all-purpose (plain) flour, for coating
- ¼ teaspoon ground white pepper
- 1 egg
- 60 g/2¼ oz/1 cup panko (Japanese breadcrumbs)
- Vegetable oil, for deep-frying
- 60 ml/2 fl oz/¼ cup sesame oil
For the dipping sauce:
- 170 g/6 oz Japanese mayonnaise
- 1½ tablespoons finely chopped pickled Japanese cucumber or dill pickles
- 1 tablespoon Japanese rice vinegar
- 1 scallion (spring onions), white part only, finely chopped
- 2 tablespoons mitsuba or flat-leaf (Italian) parsley, chopped
- 1 garlic clove, crushed
- Pinch of ground white pepper
- Lemon wedges, to serve
Method:
Peel and devein the shrimps, leaving the tails intact. Make three cuts in the belly of the shrimps. Turn the shrimps over and, starting from the tail end, press down gently at intervals along the length of the shrimp – this helps to break the connective tissue, preventing the shrimps from curling up too much.
Season the flour with white pepper and ¼ teaspoon salt. Break the egg into a bowl, add 2 teaspoons water and lightly beat together. Holding the shrimps by their tails so the tails remain uncoated, coat them lightly in flour, then into the egg, allowing any excess to drip off. Finally, coat with the panko, pressing on to help adhere. Refrigerate until you are ready to cook.
To make the dipping sauce, put all the ingredients in a small bowl and stir to combine. Season to taste with salt and white pepper. Refrigerate until ready to serve.
Fill a deep-fat fryer or large saucepan one-third full of vegetable oil and add the sesame oil. Heat to 180°C/350°F, or until a cube of bread dropped into the oil browns in 15 seconds. Deep-fry the shrimps in batches for 2 minutes, or until golden. Drain on paper towels and serve immediately accompanied by the dipping sauce and lemon wedges.