Tempura Noodles

Cooking Instructions

PREPARATION Cook the noodles (see page 210) and set aside. Prepare the noodle broth and bring it to a simmer. Slice the green onions very finely and rinse them in cold water, then squeeze and drain.

Prawns: Shell and devein the prawns, leaving the tails on. Rinse them in salted water, then in plain water. Score the belly a little to prevent them from curling up during deep-frying, then tap the back of each with the back of a knife blade.

Oil: Half fill a small saucepan with vegetable oil to a depth of 2 - 3 inches and add a little sesame oil. Heat slowly to 350F.

Batter: Make the batter while the oil is heating. Mix the egg yolk and water very lightly with chopsticks; do not beat. Then add the flour all at once, plus a little salt, and mix in quickly to make a lumpy batter.

Arrange the prawns, batter, and a small bowl of extra flour beside the cooker, together with a rack or paper toweling for draining the cooked prawns.

TO COOK Check that the oil has reached 350F. First flick a little batter into the oil; this will break up to make scraps that you use as a crust for the prawns. Take a prawn and dip it first into flour, then into batter. Resting it on a ladle, lower it into the oil. While the prawn cooks, pick up a ladleful of cooked batter scraps and roll the prawn around on the ladle so that it gets a thick coating. When it is cooked, remove it from the pan and drain head down. Continue until all the prawns are cooked. You will need to clear the pan and make fresh batter scraps from time to time during the cooking.

TO SERVE Put the sliced green onions into 4 small dishes. Warm 4 deep bowls. Put the noodles in a strainer and immerse in boiling water for a few seconds to reheat, then divide them between the bowls. Put 2 or 3 prawns onto each bowl of noodles and ladle over the hot broth. Serve each person with a bowl of noodles and a dish of green onions to use as a condiment. Pass seven spice pepper separately.