Tempura Shrimp

Tonight the hubs decided he wanted fried shrimp for dinner. It has been ages since we've had anything deep fried, much less shrimp, and since he is about to leave again I thought we could cave to his deep-fried desires. Once upon a time, when the hubs and I were still dating, I worked at a restaurant where their chicken strips were the best in the world. Their secret was to use tempura mix and mix it with club soda. I have no idea if this truly is a "secret" in the cooking world, but since I didn't know any better I thought it was a clever idea. I've never used tempura, but decided tonight I'd try it. Tempura is so much easier to cook with than dredging your food in flour. The batter is thick and sticks much better than flour (which always tends to fall off, especially during cooking), and it looks so pretty and professionally done when fried. It tasted great, as any tempura fan would know, and I just was so happy with the process and the end result. If you haven't tried cooking with tempura at home, give it a try. Its very easy and yummy!

Tempura Shrimp

Serves 4

2 pounds shrimp, peeled and deveined (tails left intact if desired)

2 1/2 cups tempura mix

1 can club soda

seasonings to taste

oil, for frying

1. Heat oil in a large skillet over medium heat.

2. Peel and clean shrimp, leaving tails intact if desired.

3. Combine tempura mix and tonic water, until combined. Season mix with favorite seasonings.

4. Dip one shrimp in the tempura mix and place in skillet to test the oil; if it is hot enough, continue putting battered shrimp in pan. Cook for 2-3 minutes on each side, then remove from pan and place on a plate covered with a paper towel to drain.