Recipe

Kelp seasoning

1. Toast the nori sheet in a non-stick pan till it becomes very crispy. As it cools it should crumble very easily.
2. Remove from the pan & add the sesame seeds & lightly toast.
3. Place in a spice grinder (or mortar & pestle) & blend till very fine. Remove & combine with the lime zest & salt in a small plastic sealed bag - shake so the lime zest oil is extracted through the mixture.

Miso dipping sauce

1. In a small sauce-pan place all the ingredients except the spring onion and bring up to a slow simmer mixing with a wooden spoon at all times. As soon as it reaches a simmer. Remove from the heat & allow to cool. Add the spring onions & mix through.

Tempura batter

1. Beat an egg in a bowl. Add ice water.
2. Add sifted flour to the bowl and mix lightly. Be careful not to over mix the batter.

Cooking the tempura oysters

1. In a deep fryer (deep sauce-pan or wok) pre-heat cooking oil to 180°C (355°F).
2. Remove the oysters from their shells & place on a paper towel & lightly pat dry. Set the shells on a plate.
3. Dip the oysters in fresh tempura batter & cook in the oil till the batter is crispy. Remove from the oil & place on a dry paper towel.
4. Return the cooked oysters into the shell & season with kelp mixture.
5. Serve hot with the miso dipping sauce, extra seasoning & lemon wedges.

Tips on tempura:

Tip 1: Ice - use ice water for the batter. This is really important to prevent the batter from absorbing too much oil.
Tip 2: Batter - do not make the batter ahead of time. Try not to over mix the batter and not to coat ingredients with the batter too much.
Tip 3: Frying should be in hot oil 180°C (355°F).

Image and recipe courtesy Nurtured Seafood