Kisu no Tempura (キスの天ぷら, sand whiting tempura)

Ingredients

Equipment Needed

• •Small sharp knife, ideally a deba-bōchō, or a narrow fillet knife
• •Deep heavy pot or tempura nabe
• •Cooking thermometer
• •Saibashi, long cooking chopsticks, or gentle tongs
• •Wire rack or folded absorbent paper
• •Fine-mesh strainer lined with a clean cloth

Instructions

1. 1

   Make the dashi

   Wipe the konbu with a damp cloth, but don't wash it. Put it in 2 cups cold water and warm it slowly over low heat. Pull the konbu when the water trembles and small bubbles climb the sides, before it boils. Boiling the kelp gives the stock a dull bitterness, and this sauce needs a clean base.

   That pale powder on konbu is flavor, not dirt. Wiping protects the stock; washing throws away what you came for.
2. 2

   Finish the sauce

   Bring the konbu water just to a gentle boil, add the katsuobushi all at once, and take the pot off the heat. Let the flakes sink for two minutes, then strain through a cloth without squeezing. Measure 1/2 cup dashi into a small pot with the soy sauce and mirin, warm just until the raw edge of the mirin softens, and set aside.

   Don't squeeze the bonito flakes. Pressure pushes out oily, strong flavors, and tentsuyu should support the fish, not sit on top of it.
3. 3

   Butterfly the kisu

   If your fishmonger has not done it, lay each kisu belly-side up and open it along the belly with a small sharp knife. Press it flat, lift out the backbone, and leave the two sides joined at the back so the fish opens like a fan. Trim any small rib bones you can feel. The shape matters because thin, even flesh cooks before the batter darkens.

4. 4

   Dry and salt

   Pat the fish dry, inside and out, then sprinkle very lightly with sea salt and leave for 5 minutes. Wipe away any moisture that beads on the surface. Salt tightens the flesh a little and draws off surface water, and dry fish takes a cleaner coat of flour than wet fish ever will.

5. 5

   Heat the oil

   Pour oil into a deep pot to a depth of about 5cm and heat to 175 to 180 C. If you don't have a thermometer, drop in a little batter: it should sink slightly, rise quickly, and float with small lively bubbles. Too cool and the fish drinks oil. Too hot and the batter colors before the flesh has set.

6. 6

   Mix the batter

   Beat the cold egg lightly with the ice-cold water, then add the cold flour and stir with chopsticks only a few times. Leave lumps and streaks. A smooth batter means you have worked the flour too much, and tempura batter punishes industry by turning heavy.

7. 7

   Dust the fish

   Dust each butterflied kisu lightly with flour and shake off the excess, especially along the cut face. This dry veil helps the batter cling in a thin coat. Too much flour gives you paste between fish and batter, which is not a prize anyone should pursue.

8. 8

   Fry briefly

   Dip one kisu into the batter, let the excess drip for a breath, and lower it into the oil skin-side down. Fry for 40 to 60 seconds, turning once if needed, until the batter is pale and crisp and the fish has just set. Work in small batches so the oil stays hot and the pieces have room.

9. 9

   Drain and serve

   Lift the kisu to a rack or folded paper and let it drain for a few seconds. Serve at once with warm tentsuyu, grated daikon, and lemon or sudachi. Tempura waits badly, so bring people to the table before the fish goes into the oil, not after.

Chef Tips

• •Ask the fishmonger for kisu that came in that day, and have them butterfly it for tempura if they will. Fresh kisu smells faintly sweet and clean, with clear eyes and firm flesh. If the fish smells strong, change the dish.
• •Keep the batter bowl cold. Set it over a second bowl of ice if the kitchen is warm. Cold batter meeting hot oil gives tempura its light, uneven coat, the little ridges that make it crisp without becoming thick.
• •Use a saibashi, long cooking chopsticks, for dipping and lifting if you have them. Tongs work, but use a gentle hand. Kisu is small and thin, and crushing it after such careful cutting would be a foolish little tragedy.
• •Serve kisu no tempura in odd numbers on the plate, with space between pieces. A crowded plate traps oil and softens the batter. Leave it room, and the fish stays itself.
• •For a meatless table, make a separate tempura plate with seasonal vegetables and a konbu-shiitake tentsuyu. That is honmono for shōjin ryōri, temple cooking, but it is a different dish from kisu.

Advance Preparation

• •The dashi and tentsuyu can be made one day ahead and refrigerated. Warm the tentsuyu gently before serving.
• •The kisu can be scaled, gutted, and butterflied several hours ahead. Keep it covered in the refrigerator on a tray, then dry and salt it just before frying.
• •Do not mix the batter ahead. It must be cold and barely stirred, made only when the oil is ready.

Frequently Asked Questions

Nutrition Information

1 serving (about 150g)