LUNAR NEW YEAR With a twist

We’re breaking with tradition to welcome in this auspicious time with a Japanese-themed banquet.

Test Kitchen

Notes

Always use fresh, clean oil and keep at a constant temperature during cooking. Optimum temperature for vegetables is about 170°C; slightly higher for seafood. Use a kitchen thermometer, or test oil with a small amount of batter. The oil is the correct temperature when batter turns brown in 30 seconds.

Shichimi togarashi is a Japanese seven−spice seasoning available from some supermarkets and Japanese food stores.

PRAWN TEMPURA UDON

PREP + COOK TIME 30 MINUTES SERVES 4

320g udon noodles

1 litre (4 cups) dashi

½ cup (125ml) Japanese soy sauce

½ cup (125ml) mirin seasoning 8 uncooked large king prawns (560g) vegetable oil, for deep−frying plain flour, for dusting

¼ teaspoon shichimi togarashi (see notes) 2 green onions, chopped finely

TEMPURA BATTER

½ cup (75g) plain flour

½ cup (75g) cornflour

1 teaspoon baking powder

1 cup (250ml) iced soda water

1 Cook noodles in a large saucepan of boiling water following packet directions until tender; drain.

2 Bring dashi, sauce and mirin to the boil in a medium saucepan. Reduce heat; simmer for 10 minutes.

3 Meanwhile, shell and devein prawns, leaving tails intact. Score underside of prawns to prevent them from curling during cooking.

4 Make tempura batter.