Tempura Prawns with Sweet Chilli Dip

Prep time: 25 mins | Serves: 4

Ingredients:

• 300g raw king prawns, peeled and deveined (tails on)

• 100g plain flour

• 40g cornflour

• 5g baking powder

• 4g sea salt

• 200g ice-cold sparkling water

• Vegetable oil, for frying (approx. 1L)

For the Sweet Chilli Dip

• 80g sweet chilli sauce

• 20g rice vinegar or apple cider vinegar

• 10g soy sauce

• 10g runny honey

• 5g lime juice

Method:

1. Heat the oil in a deep pan to 170°C.

2. In a bowl, whisk together the plain flour, cornflour, baking powder and salt.

3. Pour in the ice-cold sparkling water and gently mix — the batter should be loose and slightly lumpy (don’t overmix, that’s the secret to crisp tempura).

4. Lightly dust the prawns in a little extra flour, then dip into the batter.

5. Fry the prawns in batches for 2–3 minutes until pale golden, crisp and light. Remove and drain on kitchen paper.

6. For the dip, whisk together the sweet chilli sauce, vinegar, soy sauce, honey and lime juice until smooth and glossy.

7. Taste and adjust — a little more honey for sweetness or vinegar for sharpness to suit your palate.

8. Serve the tempura prawns hot with the sweet chilli dip on the side for dunking.

Storage:

Tempura prawns are best eaten immediately while crisp and light. If needed, store the sweet chilli dip in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.