‘Seafood Mix’ is often called ‘Marinara Mix’ in Australia, and some people believe ‘Marinara’ means ‘Seafood’. That’s not true. Marinara is actually a tomato sauce and it doesn’t mean ‘Seafood’. There is a very popular dish called ‘Spaghetti Marinara’ in Australia, and it is a dish of Spaghetti and Seafood mixed with tomato-based sauce. That’s where the confusion occurs.
Anyway, Seafood ‘Marinara’ Mix is widely available and I often use the mix for Tempura. Though I don’t like Mussels for Tempura, but they are often included in the mix. Parsley leaves are also included, especially the fresh mix from the fish stores. Do not remove them from the mix because parsley tempura is delicious.

Makes

2 Servings

Ingredients

200g Seafood ‘Marinara’ Mix
*Note: Recommended seafood are Fish, Prawns, Scallops, Squid
1/2 Onion *finely sliced
3 tablespoons Self-Raising / Plain Flour
1 tablespoon Potato Starch / Corn Starch Flour
1 Egg
1-2 tablespoons Cold Water
1 pinch Salt
Oil for frying
2 servings Freshly Cooked Short Grain Rice
1 Spring Onion *finely chopped
Shichimi (Japanese Chilli Spice Mix)

Sauce

1/2 cup Water
1/4 teaspoon Dashi Powder
2 tablespoons Soy Sauce
1 tablespoon Mirin
1 teaspoon Sugar

Method
  1. Place Water, Dashi Powder, Soy Sauce, Mirin and Sugar into a small saucepan and bring to the boil. Boil 1 minutes and remove from heat.
  2. Cut all Seafood into 1-2cm pieces and place in a bowl. Add sliced Onion. Sprinkle with Self-Raising Flour, Starch Flour and Salt and mix well to coat all pieces with the flour. Add Egg and Cold Water and mix to combine. Divide the mixture into 2 portions.
  3. Heat Oil in a saucepan or small frying pan over medium heat, cook 1 portion of the mixture. If you are not familiar with deep-frying, just cook the mixture like cooking a pancake with slightly more oil.
  4. Turn it over a few times. When it is cooked and golden, place them on a rack and drain the oil. Repeat with the remaining mixture.
  5. Half fill a bowl with Freshly Cooked Rice and cover it with the Tempura. Drizzle the sauce over, top with Spring Onion and ‘Shichimi’ and enjoy.