Ingredients

Serves 4-6

4 soft shell crabs, cleaned and halved
1 recipe tempura batter (see below)
600g assorted heritage tomatoes, thickly sliced or halved depending on size
1 recipe tamarind dressing (see below)
Vegetable oil for deep frying
100g Gympie farm goat's cheese (see notes)


Tempura batter
½ cup cornflour
½ cup plain flour
250ml soda water, chilled
1 egg
Pinch salt

Tamarind dressing
25g tamarind pulp
1 tbs hot water
2 tbs light palm sugar
15ml soy
60ml virgin olive oil

Method

Preheat the vegetable oil to 180°C.


To make the batter: In a small bowl, beat the egg yolk with the water until combined.
Add both flours all at once and stir for just 5 circles with a fork and no more!
The mixture will be very lumpy. This is part of the secret to good tempura.

For tamarind dressing, combine tamarind pulp and 1 tbsp hot water in a bowl. Stand for 10 minutes or until soft, then push through a fine sieve, discarding seeds and set aside. Combine sugar and 2 tsp water in a saucepan and cook for 3 minutes over medium heat or until caramelised, add tamarind water and soy sauce. Cool to room temperature, then gradually add olive oil, whisking continuously until emulsified. Makes about 125ml.

Toss tomatoes in tamarind dressing. Serve alongside crispy soft shell crab pieces and finish with Gympie farm goats cheese

Notes

If the goat's cheese is a little firm, slacken it by beating in some infused milk. To do this, bring some milk to a simmer with some garlic and rosemary. Remove from heat and allow to stand until cool, Strain then beat into cheese until the desired consistency is achieved.

The soft shells crabs are farmed in the suburb of Pinkenba on the north side of Brisbane. Choosing soft shell crabs means no more picking cracking and digging and the texture of the ‘shell’ is no more resilient than tomato skin - give them go, they are available at all good fishmongers!

The secret to light tempura batter is threefold - have the batter well chilled, leave it under-mixed and have the oil at the correct temperature.

Never store your tomatoes in the fridge. If your tomatoes are under-ripe, leave them by the window facing the sun and they will continue to ripen.