Off the Map

Bite in…chew…OH MY GOD…

Honestly I wanted to make Ebi/Shrimp Katsu only because the frozen shrimp I bought this time, tastes like PLASTIC.. I was hoping smashing it up will eliminate the plastic texture, hence I tried to make Ebi Katsu out of it. As usual, the food scientist nerdiness gets to me to compare air-frying Katsu vs deep-frying katsu, air-frying bread vs pan-frying bread vs toaster bread. Result is, air-frying katsu is not that different honestly.. The sauce learning from Chef Masa is very, super, surprisingly, confusingly delicious. This is my first time making the Ebi/Shrimp Katsu Burger, but I am going to add it to my permanent menu for guests!!

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QUICK TAKEAWAYS

• Did not think air-fried Ebi Katsu is that different from deep-fried, especially when it’s in between sauce, bread, veggies.. But deep-fried is definitely more golden brown and more crispy.
• egg, corn/potato starch mixed in shrimp patty, with sufficient mixing, smashing will give very soft, moist and chewy texture~!
• squeeze out onion water after mixed with salt definitely gets rid of the pungent taste!! adding smashed egg, Japanese mayoresses, ketchup, pepper powder and cayenne powder in it magically makes the sauce VERY, VERY, VERY TASTEY!
• bread from toaster is the most convenient way to make bread, compared to air-fried and pan-fried.

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RECIPE

Ingredients for 3-4 Ebi Katsu Burger

• ~400g shrimp (after peeling off the shell)
• salt
• 2tbsp corn/potato starch
• 1-2 egg
• bread/all-purpose flour
• panko/Japanese bread crumbs
• 1 hard-boiled egg
• 1/2 onion
• 5-6tbsp Japanese mayonnaise
• 2tbso ketchup
• 1tsp pepper powder or Shichimi “seven-spice powder” 七味粉
• 1tsp cayenne pepper (optional)
• 1 avocado (optional)
• lettuce and whatever veggies you would like to add to burger

Salad to make you feel better 😉 :

• lettuce
• Japanese mayonnaise
• Caesar with parmesan salad dressing
• raisins
• parmesan cheese
• avocado

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DAY1 (if you want shrimp patty to shape/rest overnight in freezer, optional):

• Step 1: chop 1/2 onion into small cubes, as small as possible, and add 1tsp salt, mix well.
• Step 2: let sit for 10-20mins, squeeze water out of onion and discard, this gives raw onion the spicy, pungent taste. Put back onion in fridge.
• Step 3: remove shrimps’ shell, devine, wash, dry the surface.

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• Step 4: cut 1/3 of shrimp into small pieces, giving the Ebi Katsu a different texture other than smashed shrimp.

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• Step 5: use a blender or knife to blend the rest 2/3 shrimp

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• Step 6: combine the 1/3 shrimp chunks and 2/3 smashed shrimp, add 1/2tsp salt, 2tbsp corn/potato starch, mix well till gluey texture forms.

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• Step 7: beat and mix 2 eggs, add 2tbsp egg to shrimp mixture, keep mixing, can scoop out shrimp mixture, smash down back to bowl to increase chewy texture.
• Step 8: rub hand and plate with oil, divide shrimp mixture into 3-4 portions; shape into circular patty shape with 1-1.5cm thickness, put on plate before coating.
• Step 9: in three different containers (plates also work, but flour, panko might be flying out as we coat shrimp patty), add in flour (AP or bread are both fine), the rest of beaten egg, and panko.
• Step 10: gently lift shrimp patty from plate, and coat in all sides in flour, egg and panko. And wrap tightly with plastic wrap, store in freezer overnight. If you want to fry right away, it also works!

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DAY 2:

• Step 0: remove shrimp patty from freezer so the temperature comes up a bit before deep-frying/air-frying.
• Step 1: boil egg for 8-10 minutes, cool down, peel shell and smash egg in the chopped onion from day 1. Mix well.

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• Step 2: add 6tbsp Japanese mayoresses, 2tbsp ketchup, 1tsp pepper powder and 1tsp cayenne power to onion and egg, mix well as our sauce~!

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• Step 3: FRYING!!
  • Air-fry: both sides for 7-8mins each, 355F/180C till golden brown; spray oil before frying so it tastes for more like, “frying”.
  • Deep-fry:
    • pour oil in pan/pot so its height is around 1.5cm, turn heat up to medium-high;
    • drop a piece of bread crumb to test oil temperature, if bread crumb floats right away and starts getting fried, oil temperature is ready for frying!
    • gently put shrimp patty in hot oil, DO NOT SPLASH! fry one side till slightly golden; flip, CAREFUL! fry the other side till slightly golden. Flip again for both sides till bright golden/brown.
    • remove from oil, CAREFUL NOT TO DROP IT BACK IN OIL! place on paper tower or oil absorbent paper.

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• Step 4: toasting bread:
  • air-fried: 330F/170C, each side for 2-3mins –> very crispy like cookie almost
  • pan-fried: rub butter on pan, fry both sides till browned –> much softer than air-fried and toaster
  • toaster: you know what to do..
• Step 5: slice avocado, wash and slice lettuce.
• Step 6: assembly! bread, lettuce, avocado slices, Ebi/Shrimp katsu, SAUCEEEE, bread again.

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READY TO SERVE!!!! I am honestly too impatient to try it that I did not even take good picture of the cut side… Serve with simple salad with lettuce, Caesar with parmesan salad dressing, Japanese mayoresses, parmesan cheese, raisins and avocado can reduce the feel of greasiness and increase the feel of healthiness haha! 😉

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RESOURCES