Friday, January 14, 2011

Shrimp Tempura Tacos


TGIF!  That's what I screamed when I woke up this morning.  Well, not literally, but just inside of my head.  But seriously.  Thank. Goodness. It's. Friday.

Definitely have a good weekend lined up.  It's the birthday weekend of a couple pharmacists I know, so we're going out for sushi tomorrow night.  Pretty amped about that because I could use a good meal of sushi right about now!

And I've decided to do something pretty cool here soon.  I've decided to kind of expand my "culinary abilities" and recreate dishes that I've had at restaurants.  I know... nothing new.  People do that all the time.  But I'm going to combine restaurant reviews and meals I've eaten and compare them to what I actually make at home.  Kind of like a side-by-side comparison of sorts.  Don't get it?  Well... the first post will be sometime in the next couple of weeks, and maybe it will be clearer then.

Anyway, this recipe was kind of an evolution of an idea really.  I had set out to make some shrimp ceviche, but then wanted tacos.  So shrimp ceviche tacos sounded pretty good.  Then I opened up the pantry and saw some tempura mix, and it was on.  Shrimp.  Tempura.  Tacos.  Oh yeah.

Oh, and don't forget this week's dessert poll at the end of the post!!


Ingredients:   


1 lb. frozen shrimp, defrosted
2 cups tempura batter
vegetable oil for frying

1 english cucumber, diced
1 small onion, diced

1 tomato, seeded and diced
small handful cilantro, chopped

juice of 1 lime
1/4 teaspoon cumin
salt and pepper, to taste

corn tortillas, warmed
shredded cheddar cheese, optional
rice and salsa, for serving


In a large bowl, combine shrimp and tempura batter.  (A lot of Asian markets cell tempura batter mix and it's pretty easy... mine was a "just add water" kind of thing and tastes pretty great)  And of course, you could always make up your own tempura mix, but I had the pre-made stuff handy, so that's what I used.  Let sit for about 3-5 minutes.

In a heavy, deep pan or pot, heat about 2 inches of vegetable oil.  You know it's hot enough when you add a little bit of the tempura batter and it sizzles.

Add shrimp and cook for about 1-2 minutes per side, or until the tempura is crispy and golden brown.

Transfer to a paper towel-lined bowl and sprinkle with a little bit of salt and pepper.


In a small bowl, combine the cucumber, tomato, onion, cilantro, lime juice, cumin, salt, and pepper.  Mix well.

To assemble tacos, place a thin layer of shredded cheese on each tortilla, then add a few shrimp (about 3-4 per taco), and top with cucumber/tomato salsa.

We served the tacos with some rice (which I basically just cooked in the rice cooker and added about a 1/2-3/4 cup of salsa to and mixed).


This made for a great impromptu taco.  The flavors were fresh and I loved the contrast of the fried tempura shrimp and the delicate salsa.  Definitely a winner in my book!

Have a great weekend guys!


And for the poll this week, I'm feeling like I want to make some cheesecake... so here's some flavors (don't know if some of them actually exist... but hey... I will make it happen if it wins!)



44 comments:

  1. Wow, these tacos look so good! I love shrimp and I don't eat nearly enough of it. I voted!

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  2. I love tacos! Those look mighty scrumptious.

    Cheers,

    Rosa

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  3. Those look great! I think the restaurant idea is pretty awesome too.

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  4. I love tempura,shrimp & tacos.How did you Know that.These are my most fav tacos in the world.soo wonderful

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  5. I love tempura veggies, and I bet this shrimp is amazing!

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  6. back in my tokyo days tempura was the main course :)
    it looks great

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  7. i never had shrimp as a i am vegetarian but the platter looks so tasty and colorful...i will try it out with some veggie substitute..lovely clicks

    Satya

    Super Yummy Recipes

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  8. Love your ideas for the blog! Hope you have a blast nomming on sushi with friends!

    I want those tempura tacos......RIGHT NOW. Express delivery, please :) I will try this soon!

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  9. Nice taco, shrimp tempura looks delicious. love it.

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  10. I can't stop eating less of these,looks so fresh and flavorful.

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  11. i've always wanted to try my hand at tempura so thanks for the inspiration! x

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  12. What a creative take on shrimp tacos. Great way to add a little Asian flair for a nice fusion dish.

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  13. Oh, I love this funky awesome twist! Fantastic idea...and I voted...can't wait to see....

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  14. This looks so positively unique and delicious!
    I would take peanut butter cheesecake.

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  15. Ohhh, just my kind of food!! :-D I SO have to try this - I LOVE shrimp - I could eat them everyday....

    Have a great weekend.

    My best,
    Birthe

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  16. I am so torn between pumpkin and Girl Scout cookie! If you do the latter, my vote is for Tagalongs :)

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  17. I like the way you cook! It looks marvelous! I like the idea of recreating the dish and comparing them! I'll be back!

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  18. oh my! you and i are on completely the same wave length today (check out my post - spicy shrimp tacos!). and get this - i went for Sushi today for lunch with coworkers, and my favorite part of my bento box? oh, the tempura! too funny. once again i say, i must MUST get a light for my photography - just beautiful pictures!

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  19. What a fabulous idea. I love fish tacos and I love shrimp. Why haven't I thought of this? Thanks for the great idea and inspiration. The tempura is such a nice touch.

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  20. I love shrimp tacos! Your's look fabulous. And I love the idea of recreating the meals you've had at restaurants. Never seen it before.

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  21. Shrimps.. they taste good no matter how they are prepared :) your dish looks very nice :)
    And Im sure no matter what kind of cheesecake you will be making it will be amazing too, cause all cheesecakes especially made at home are delicious :)

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  22. Mmm my mouth is watering. I have never had a shrimp taco and I am now on a mission to try it. Oh, and I bet a mint chocolate chip cheesecake would be out of this world!

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  23. I just have to say, all of the cheesecake options sound delicious, but I'm most curious to see how you would pull of a marshmallow version!

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  24. Your crunchy shrimp tacos sound insanely good! So good I wish I had one for breakfast. I can't wait to see your recreations - great idea to combine them with a review.

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  25. Yeah, these definitely look legit. I like the spin on the pico with the cucumbers - a little added freshness to the fried shrimp ... man, these look great.

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  26. that's amazing that you made tempura! out of frozen shrimp, too! I'm so impressed

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  27. Wow! that looks fantastic... very nice color and looks crispy too... done just right..beautiful pics!

    US Masala

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  28. wow this is a very cool fusion meal love it

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  29. I like fusion dishes. They take my culinary horizons one step further. Your shrimps look divine!

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  30. Thanks for stopping by my blog! These look delicious.

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  31. I love the look of this dish, it looks so light and fresh and lovely .. and yes, the fusion factor is very cool :)

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  32. Yummy!!! Cruchy and full of flavour, pass one over here daaaaaaaaaaaahling!
    *kisses* HH

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  33. ya got me with shrimp and then the relish, OMG...tacos of any kind is my kind of eating.... thanks for stopping by

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  34. Seems light and delicious. my family love tacos. Will try cooking with fish instead of shrimp because I'm allergy to shellfish :D

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  35. Oh bummer...I missed the dessert poll! This is what happens when my parents come in town...I get behind! Well at least I know whatever you make will be delicious. Just like these tacos! I love shrimp tacos, and yours look great! I'm also excited to see your restaurant recreations. I think comparing them will be interesting. Thanks for sharing!

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  36. Wow, this looks so scrumptious!

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  37. Oooh...I love shrimps...in whatever way you cook it. I would eat the whole plate of your shrimp tempuras :D Looks like you are having lots of fun in the kitchen trying out some restaurant food.

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  38. Looks so good! I love shrimps cooked in many ways. :)

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  39. I love fish tacos, so I know these shrimp tacos would be a new favorite! Looks gorgeous!

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  40. I'll bet this was amazing ! It looks so fresh and summery :)

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  41. Beautiful photos! My husband and I have been dying to have more fish/shrimp tacos since getting back from vacation -- looks like I found the perfect recipe!

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  42. These sound delicious!!!
    I have not made tempura yet, and have wanted to..

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