Tempura Ocean Recipe

Prepare fish

Trim and pat dry the tuna and salmon pieces with paper towels. Arrange them on a tray chilled in the refrigerator while you make the batter — keeping them cold helps maintain texture when frying.

In a small bowl combine sesame oil, soy sauce, lemon juice, chives, 1/4 tsp salt and black pepper. Gently toss the tuna pieces in half of this mixture and the salmon pieces in the remaining half so both are lightly seasoned. Do not marinate for more than 5 minutes; this is just to season, not to cure.

Prepare oil

Pour vegetable oil into a medium saucepan or deep pot to a depth of about 2 inches (enough for shallow deep-frying). Heat the oil over medium-high heat until it reaches 350°F (175°C). If you don't have a thermometer, test by dropping a small bit of batter — it should sizzle and rise immediately.

Make batter

In a mixing bowl, lightly beat the egg with the ice-cold sparkling water. Add the ice cubes to keep the mixture cold. Sift together the flour, cornstarch and 1/4 tsp salt into the wet mixture. Using chopsticks or a fork, mix gently until just combined; small lumps are desirable. Do not overmix — keep batter cold for a light, crispy tempura coating.

Fry fish

Working in small batches to avoid crowding, dip each seasoned piece of tuna or salmon into the batter, letting excess drip back into the bowl. Carefully lower into the hot oil and fry until the batter is pale golden and crisp, about 45–60 seconds per side depending on piece size (total 60–90 seconds). Remove with a slotted spoon or spider and drain on a wire rack or paper towels. Maintain oil temperature between batches (350°F/175°C) and discard any batter left in the oil.

Arrange the tempura-battered tuna and salmon pieces on a serving platter. Sprinkle toasted sesame seeds and additional finely sliced chives over the pieces.

Serve immediately with microgreens or mizuna on the side, pickled ginger if using, and ponzu or your preferred dipping sauce. Offer extra sesame oil–soy drizzle: whisk 1 tsp sesame oil with 1 tsp soy sauce and brush lightly over the warm tempura pieces for an added layer of flavor (optional).