Tempura Oysters

Published on the: 14-02-2020

By Kish Fish

Preparation time: 30 minutes
Serves: 4
Ingredients
20 oysters
Sunflower oil for deep-frying
Tempura batter
50g/2oz plain flour
50g/2oz cornflour
A small pinch of salt
4tsp toasted sesame seeds
175ml/6fl oz ice-cold soda water
Lime wedges, to serve

Method
Open all the oysters and pour off all the liquor. Carefully cut the meat out of the bottom, deeper shells. Keep these for serving.
Heat some oil for deep-frying to 190°C/375°F/Gas 5.
Make the batter by sifting the flour, cornflour and salt into a bowl.
Stir in the sesame seeds, then stir in the ice-cold soda water (the soda water must be very cold and from a new bottle for this batter to work well) until only just mixed in but still a bit lumpy. If it seems a bit thick, add a drop more water. You want the batter to be very thin and almost transparent.
Dip in the oysters, one at a time, drop them into the hot oil and fry for 1 minute, until crisp and golden.
Lift out and drain very briefly on kitchen paper. Then put the oysters back in their shells and arrange on four plates. Serve with lemon wedges and a soy or chili dip.