Tempura Soft Shell Crab and Asparagus with Yuzu-Maui Onion Salad

  • Yield: 4 servings
  • Total: 35 min
  • Prep: 15 min
  • Cook: 20 min
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Ingredients

2 cups rice flour

1 teaspoon chile powder

2 tablespoons raw sesame seeds

1 quart cold soda water

4 cleaned soft shell crabs, primes or hotels

12 medium, peeled asparagus

1 maui onion cut into thick 1/2-inch rings

YUZU-MAUI ONION SALAD:

1 large, peeled and rough chopped maui onion (walla-walla or vidalia would work)

1/3 cup yuzu or ponzu or rice wine vinegar

1 teaspoon sugar

1 tablespoon soy sauce

1 teaspoon sesame oil

Salt and black pepper to taste

4 cups salad mix containing mizuna and tatsoi

Directions

  1. In a large bowl, mix flour, chile powder and sesame seeds. Whisk in soda water until a pancake batter consistency is achieved. In one hand, grab one crab, 3 asparagus and 2 onions rings and completely coat in the batter. Lightly drop in 350 degree oil and fry for 4 to 5 minutes until golden brown. Season with salt and drain on paper towels. Repeat with remaining crabs, asparagus and onion.

YUZU-MAUI ONION SALAD:

  1. In a food processor, puree everything together until smooth. Check for seasoning. Toss the salad lightly with the vinaigrette.
  2. PLATING On a large plate, drizzle some remaining vinaigrette. Place a small mound of salad and top with the tempura crab sliced in half.

Cook’s Note

Wine Suggestion: Sancerre, Richard Bourgeois, 1997

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William Q.

This recipe is awesome for making soft shell crab. It's so yummy with a nice light crisp. Just be careful when making the batter. The first time, I just dumped the full one quart of soda water into the batter. It became a batter with the consistency of water. I then reread the instructions and noted that it says add water till you get a batter with a pancake batter consistency. It actually takes a very small amount of water, which is less than even one cup of the soda water. Thus, you definitely don't need a full quart of soda water.

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