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Ebi fry (Japanese breaded prawns with tartare)
Breaded fried prawns
エビフライ · Large panko-fried prawns with egg tartare sauce
JapaneseIn Nagoya, ebi fry is a point of local pride, served in long, straight prawns that stick out over the edge of the plate, but it is on the menu of every family restaurant and bento shop in Japan. Large prawns are scored so they stay straight, coated in panko and fried until crunchy, then served with a chunky tartare of boiled egg, onion and pickles. The common mistake is skipping the scoring; the prawns curl tight in the hot oil and the coating cracks. Prawns are done when they turn pink and opaque all the way through, usually in under 3 minutes. Use fresh or thawed raw prawns that smell of the sea; throw out any that smell of ammonia. Chef's tip: press each prawn flat on the board after scoring until you feel a slight click; that stops it curling.
- Total time
- 35 min
- Difficulty
- easy
- Serves
- 3
Ingredients
- 12 large raw king prawnsabout 400 g, peeled with tails left on, deveined
- ¼ tsp salt
- 1 pinch white pepper
- 1 oz plain flour
- 1 eggbeaten
- 2 ½ oz panko breadcrumbs
- 3 ¼ cups vegetable oilfor frying
For the tartare
- 1 egghard-boiled and finely chopped
- 4 tbsp Japanese-style mayonnaise
- 2 tbsp onionvery finely chopped and rinsed
- 2 tbsp gherkinsfinely chopped
- 1 tbsp parsleychopped
- 1 tsp lemon juice
To serve
- 5 ½ oz white cabbage (optional)finely shredded
- 3 lemon wedges (optional)
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Method
0/5 doneStep 1: Mix 1 egg, 4 tbsp Japanese-style mayonnaise, 2 tbsp onion, 2 tbsp gherkins, 1 tbsp parsley and 1 tsp lemon juice for the tartare. Chill.
5 minStep 2: Make 4–5 shallow cuts across the belly of each of 12 large raw king prawns, then turn over and press firmly along the back until the prawn straightens. Pat dry and season with ¼ tsp salt and 1 pinch white pepper.
10 minStep 3: Dust in 1 oz plain flour, dip in 1 egg and roll in 2 ½ oz panko breadcrumbs, pressing it on. Keep the tails clean.
8 minStep 4: Heat 3 ¼ cups vegetable oil to 350°F. Fry 4 prawns at a time until golden and the flesh inside is pink and opaque.
3 minStep 5: Drain on a rack and serve hot with the tartare, 5 ½ oz white cabbage and 3 lemon wedges.
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 430 kcal
- Protein
- 30 g
- Carbs
- 22 g
- Fat
- 24 g
- Fibre
- 1 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does ebi fry (Japanese breaded prawns with tartare) take?
- About 35 minutes in total: 25 minutes to prepare and 10 minutes to cook.
- How many people does it serve?
- 3 as written. Change the servings above the ingredients and every amount scales to match.
- What can I use instead of plain flour?
- Self-raising flour, same amount (then leave out the baking powder).
- What can I use instead of egg?
- 1 tbsp ground flaxseed + 3 tbsp water per egg, left for 5 minutes (baking only; vegan).
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