Yum Yum Tempura Shrimp

Yum Yum

Tempura fried shrimp in Romaine cups with Balsamic tomatoes, green onions and cracklins

Tempura Shrimp

Ingredients

Shrimp Preparation

2 dozen medium sized shrimp, peeled & deveined. Remove tails if desired.

Yum Yum Sauce

1.5 teaspoons rice vinegar

1.5 teaspoons sugar

¾ cup Japanese mayonnaise-use regular mayo if not available

1 tablespoon double concentrated, tomato paste

1 teaspoon fresh, minced garlic

1 tablespoon Sriracha sauce

Pinch of salt

2 tablespoons melted, cooled unsalted butter

Toppings

2-3 small heads of Romaine lettuce

Grape tomatoes

Sliced green onions

Salt & pepper

White Balsamic vinegar

Olive oil

Tempura

1/2 cup self rising flour

1/4 cup corn starch

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/3 teaspoon white pepper

¾ cup cold, seltzer water

1 large egg, cold

Corn starch for dredging

Peanut oil for frying (vegetable oil if allergy)

Chopsticks

Food thermometer

Directions

Shrimp Preparation

Optional-Cover the shrimp in salted, cold water and let soak 10-15 minutes to remove any impurities. Rinse several times in cold water, gently squeeze out water and pat dry with paper towels. Place in refrigerator until ready to use.

Yum Yum Sauce

Add the vinegar and sugar to a small mixing bowl and whisk to dissolve. Add the remaining ingredients except the butter and whisk. Whisk in the butter and, cover with plastic wrap and set aside.

Tempura

While preparing the tempura, start heating your oil for frying. If using a deep fryer, set your temperature to 375 degrees. If using a pot on stove top, add 4-5 cups oil to your pot and heat to 375 over high temperature.

Add the flour, corn starch, salt & pepper to a medium sized mixing bowl and whisk until blended. Add the cold

seltzer water and egg and mix with the chopsticks.

Toss the shrimp in corn starch and shake off excess. Using the chopsticks, add 6-8 shrimp to the batter at a time (unless using a deep fryer) and cook in batches until golden brown and crispy. Place on plate or platter lined with paper towel and remove bits of cracklins. Taste as you go to be sure you are cooking them long enough. Drizzle extra batter into the hot oil to crate more cracklings for toppings. Lightly sprinkle with extra salt if desired.

Assembly

Break about 4-5 inch segments of Romaine lettuce and place in a bowl with about 1 cup of sliced grape tomatoes and some sliced green onions. Season with salt & pepper, drizzle lightly with some white balsamic oil vinegar and olive oil and toss. Arrange Romaine cups on a platter, and fill with tempura shrimp dipped in Yum Yum sauce. Top with the tomatoes and green onion and finish with cracklins.