Soft-Shell Crab Tempura Recipe
|
Ginger and Soy Sauce
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 tablespoon minced, peeled, fresh gingerroot
1 tablespoon diced onion
1/2 cup light soy sauce
1/2 cup vegetable stock
1 tablespoon cornstarch, mixed with 2 tablespoons water
Tempura
1 box tempura batter mix
5 cups vegetable or peanut oil, for frying
1 packet glass noodles
4 soft-shell crabs
Cornstarch
1 lemon, quartered
1 green onion, cut into 2 -inch -long pieces and fanned at the top, for garnish (optional)
Yield: 4 servings
Preparation
Ginger and Soy Sauce
Place olive oil, ginger, and onion in a heavy-bottomed pan. Sauté gently until the onion is translucent. Add soy sauce and vegetable stock. Cook over medium-high heat until liquid is reduced by one-third. Whisk in cornstarch and water mixture to thicken slightly; set aside.
Tempura
Prepare tempura batter according to package directions. Let stand for a few minutes. Heat oil to 350°F in a deep-fat fryer or 3-quart, heavy-bottomed saucepan. Pull the glass noodles apart. Place into deep fat fryer for 4 -5 seconds, or until the noodles float back up to the top. Remove noodles with slotted spoon and place on paper towels to drain.
Coat the soft-shell crabs with the cornstarch and shake off the excess. Dip the crabs into the batter and shake off the excess. Place crabs into deep-fat fryer and cook until golden and the crabs float on the surface of the oil. Place on paper towels to drain.
Put noodles and crabs on four plates; garnish with lemon and green onion. Serve with sauce.
Cook's notes:
When soft-shell crabs are in season, this decadent, deep-fried version is on the menu on the DCL. Though the shell is soft and edible, there are parts of the soft-shell crab that should be removed before cooking. Ask your seafood market to prepare the crabs for you by removing inedible parts.
