JAPANESE TEMPURA OYSTERS WITH SOY SAKE MIRIN DRESSING AND SPRING ONIONS, CHILLI'S AND GINGER

 

JUICY PLUMP OYSTERS IN CRISPY TEMPURA BATTER SERVED BACK IN THEIR SHELLS WITH A DRIZZLE OF SOY AND SAKE DIPPING SAUCE AND TOPPED WITH SPRING ONIONS, GINGER, CHILLI'S AND CORIANDER

 

INGREDIENTS

 

12 fresh oysters shucked (juice kept)

100ml light soy sauce

30ml sake1 tsp sugar

1 spring onion fine sliced

1 red chilli fine diced

1 inch ginger fine diced

2 stems coriander fine chopped

2ltrs oil for frying

Paper roll for draining

 

FOR THE TEMPURA BATTER

100g corn flour

150g plain flour

10g baking powder

50ml-100ml iced soda water or beer

 

Make the dressing for the oysters by placing the soy sauce, sugar and sake into a sauce pan and bringing up to a gently simmer until the sugar has dissolved, take off the heat and reserve ready to pour over the oysters once cooked.

 

Have the chopped coriander, ginger, chillies and spring onions ready to sprinkle over the cooked oysters.

 

Shuck the oysters, remove from their shell and drain off all the liquid into a jug and reserve, place the oysters in the fridge, meanwhile, make the tempura batter, in a bowl place all the dry ingredients, pour in the reserved oyster juice and approx 50ml to start of iced cold soda water or beer and mix in a little with chopsticks, you are looking for a medium thin batter, add more iced cold water or beer if you need to loosen the batter.  You do not want too mix well, you need lots of large flour lumps still in the mix, this will then create the lovely crispy light tempura batter when fried. 

 

Clean the shells and place on your plates ready to be filled with the cooked oysters and sauce.

 

Heat the oil too 200 degrees, take each oyster one at a time and coat well in the the tempura batter and gently lay into the hot oil, cook for a minute or so until the tempura is all crispy and spiky and a light golden colour, take the oysters and drain onto paper roll and then  place into the oyster shells.

 

Take your sake soy sauce reduction and drizzle sauce and pour over your oysters and sprinkle over the chopped chillies, spring onions and coriander to finish.