Panfish and Vegetable Tempura Recipe

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Small crappies and, particularly, bluegills are my favorite tempura fish, although many people prefer perch. Any panfish will do – as will finger-sized strips cut from the fillets of larger fish. Serve this Panfish Tempura Recipe with a dipping sauce like the ginger one I offer here.

Serves: 4
Prep time: 20 minutes
Cook time: 15-20 minutes

Cook's Tip: The key to tempura is that the ingredients must be fresh and cold. Cut the vegetables into even-sized pieces and adjust cooking time for each. For example, a sweet potato must cook longer than a green pepper. Be sure the oil is at a constant minimum of 360 degrees and not much hotter. The batter should be lumpy and never mixed too well.

Ingredients:

• 12 small panfish fillets, patted dry
• Assorted fresh, seasonal vegetables of your choice cut into large pieces – green & red bell peppers, asparagus, mushrooms, red onions, snow peas, sweet potatoes

Batter:

• 2 eggs
• 2 cups sifted all-purpose flour
• 2 cups ice-cold beer (or water)
• Extra flour for dipping, mixed with salt & pepper

Ginger Dipping Sauce:

• 5 tablespoon water
• 1 tablespoon ginger, finely grated
• 1 tablespoon garlic, finely minced
• 1 tablespoon dark sesame oil
• 5 tablespoon soy sauce
• 2 tablespoon scallion, finely minced
• 2 tablespoons fresh cilantro, chopped
• 2 tablespoons lime, lemon, or orange juice
• 2 tablespoon fresh mint, chopped
• Pinch of red chili flakes

Directions:

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