Tantalize your taste buds with a culinary journey to the Orient, where flavors dance on your palate like delicate blossoms in the breeze. Our Spicy Shrimp and Scallop Tempura with Cucumber Salad is a symphony of textures and tastes, a harmonious blend of crispy, succulent, and refreshing elements. Dive into the depths of this delectable dish, where succulent shrimp and scallops are enveloped in a golden-brown tempura batter, fried to perfection and seasoned with a tantalizing blend of spices.
Accompanying this seafood extravaganza is a refreshing cucumber salad, a symphony of crisp cucumbers, tangy onions, and a hint of sweetness from rice vinegar. The coolness of the cucumber salad perfectly complements the warmth of the tempura, creating a harmonious balance of flavors that will leave you craving more.
This delectable dish is not only a feast for the taste buds but also a visual masterpiece, sure to impress your dinner guests. The vibrant colors of the tempura and the emerald green of the cucumber salad create a visually stunning presentation that will add a touch of elegance to any table.
SPICY SHRIMP TEMPURA
Provided by Next Iron Chef All Star: Beau MacMillan
Categories main-dish
Time 1h10m
Yield 4 servings
Number Of Ingredients 23
Steps:
- For the sticky rice: Wash the rice until the water is clear and all the starch is washed off. Put the rice in a shallow cooking pan and add the coconut milk and 3/4 cup water. (Trick - place your hand flat in the pan and pour in the water. When the liquid reaches your middle finger knuckle, you have the right amount.)
- Bring the rice and coconut milk to a boil. Then turn down the heat to low, cover the pan and simmer for 15 minutes.
- For the jelly: Put the bell peppers, jalapeno, sugar, cider vinegar and red pepper flakes into a saucepan and cook over medium heat until the liquid is reduced by two-thirds. Add the liquid pectin to give it a jelly-like consistency. Then set aside.
- For the salad: Combine the avocado, cucumber, mango, jalapeno, cilantro, green onions, sugar, oil, vinegar, chili paste and black pepper in a bowl and mix together.
- For the shrimp: Peel and clean the shrimp. I like to use tiger prawns - big daddy shrimp!! Frozen shrimp is fine - just let them thaw out and rinse them in water.
- Whisk together the rice flour and carbonated water until it reaches a batter consistency (alternatively, you can get premade tempura batter at Asian markets). It's key to not whisk too much, you want a nice fine batter without much air in it.
- Preheat the oven to 300 degrees F. Next, take a heavy-bottomed pot and fill it with canola oil. Don't fill the pot too much! If using a 1-gallon saucepot, use 1/4 gallon oil. Heat the oil over medium-high heat until it's about 350 degrees F. You can test if the oil is ready by dropping some of the tempura batter into the oil. If it floats to the top, it's ready to go!
- Dredge the shrimp in the batter and drop into the oil. The shrimp will cook all the way in 2 to 3 minutes. It's key to not add too many shrimp at once, just add 3 or 4 at a time.
- When the shrimp floats to the top, they should be done. You can test them by taking one out and cutting into it to make sure it's opaque, and then taking a bite. Place the shrimp in the oven until you are ready to plate.
- Combine all the components: Put the fried shrimp in a bowl with some pepper jelly and toss to coat them. Next, take a little bit of the jelly and place on the bottom of each plate. Put some sticky rice down on the plate on top of the jelly. Place 2 shrimp on top of the rice. Add some mango and avocado salad. Garnish with a little extra cilantro or sliced green onions.
SHRIMP 'N' SCALLOPS TROPICAL SALAD
A fruity dressing zip drapes this zippy salad from Jackie Pressinger of Stuart, Florida. Served on a bed of greens, the scrumptious combination of grilled seafood, veggies and macadamia nuts is the perfect way to celebrate a special summer occasion.
Provided by Taste of Home
Categories Lunch
Time 40m
Yield 2 servings.
Number Of Ingredients 18
Steps:
- Place the first 8 ingredients in a blender. Cover and process until blended; set aside. Divide the lettuce, cucumber, avocado, nuts, onion and cilantro between 2 serving plates. , In a small bowl, combine oil and jerk seasoning. Thread shrimp and scallops onto 2 metal or soaked wooden skewers; brush with oil mixture. , Grill skewers, covered, over medium heat until shrimp turn pink and scallops are firm and opaque, 2-3 minutes on each side. Place on salads; drizzle with dressing.
Nutrition Facts : Calories 413 calories, Fat 32g fat (4g saturated fat), Cholesterol 96mg cholesterol, Sodium 523mg sodium, Carbohydrate 16g carbohydrate (6g sugars, Fiber 5g fiber), Protein 19g protein.
GINGER CUCUMBER SALAD WITH SCALLOPS
This 2004 recipe draws its inspiration from Thailand, where Mark Bittman first sampled it. The original was topped with shrimp, but his version uses scallops, "a slightly more unusual and elegant combination," but don't feel tied to just scallops: any grilled meat, poultry or fish work just as well here.
Provided by Mark Bittman
Categories salads and dressings
Time 1h30m
Yield 4 servings
Number Of Ingredients 10
Steps:
- With Asian or English cucumbers (or small garden cucumbers), slice thinly, preferably with a mandoline. With thick cucumbers, peel, halve lengthwise, and scoop out seeds before slicing.
- Mix vinegar, ginger, sugar and salt, and toss with cucumbers. Let stand for 30 to 60 minutes. (Refrigerate if marinating for more than an hour in warm weather.)
- Just before serving, drain excess liquid. Put 2 tablespoons oil in a skillet, preferably nonstick, over medium-high heat. Wait a minute, then add scallops or shrimp. Sear for about 2 minutes to a side, then remove to a plate. Turn heat to medium, add remaining oil, onions and turmeric, if you are using it. Cook until onion softens, about 5 minutes.
- Meanwhile, toast sesame seeds in a dry skillet over medium heat until browned and fragrant, 3 to 5 minutes. Stir onions into cucumbers, top with scallops or shrimp, garnish with sesame seeds, and serve.
Nutrition Facts : @context http, Calories 268, UnsaturatedFat 12 grams, Carbohydrate 21 grams, Fat 14 grams, Fiber 2 grams, Protein 16 grams, SaturatedFat 1 gram, Sodium 841 milligrams, Sugar 11 grams, TransFat 0 grams
Tips:
- To make sure the tempura batter is light and crispy, make sure the water is ice-cold and the batter is not overmixed.
- For the best results, use large shrimp and scallops.
- If you don't have a deep fryer, you can shallow fry the tempura in a large skillet.
- Use a good quality Japanese mayonnaise for the cucumber salad dressing.
- Serve the tempura immediately with the cucumber salad and your favorite dipping sauce.
Conclusion:
This spicy shrimp and scallop tempura with cucumber salad is a delicious and easy-to-make appetizer or main course. The tempura is light and crispy, the shrimp and scallops are perfectly cooked, and the cucumber salad is refreshing and tangy. This dish is sure to be a hit with your family and friends.
Are you curently on diet or you just want to control your food's nutritions, ingredients? We will help you find recipes by cooking method, nutrition, ingredients...
Check it out »
You'll also love