Deep-fried Oysters (Taiwanese Style)
It is different from Japanese oyster fries! Small crispy oysters fried in sweet potato flour
Description
Completely different from Japanese Kakifurai! Small, umami-strong Taiwanese oysters (E-a) coated not in breadcrumbs, but a special batter of 'sweet potato flour' mixed with 'Taiwanese basil', deep-fried crispy.
Restaurants serving Deep-fried Oysters (Taiwanese Style)
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On this site you can check dictionary details and, later, places to buy or eat related items.
The Recipe section below is a general reference, not a recipe from the listed shops.
Recipe
Ingredients
- Small oysters
- Sweet potato flour
- Jiucengta(Taiwanese Basil)
- White pepper
- Salt
Instructions
- [Authentic Recipe]
- Gently wash small but rich-tasting oysters (E-a)—harvested along Taiwan's coast—in salt water, drain in a sieve, and dry thoroughly.
- [Special Batter (the biggest difference from Japanese Kakifurai)] Mix coarse sweet potato flour (Digua Fen) with salt, white pepper, and 'massive amounts of finely chopped Jiucengta (Taiwanese basil)'.
- Coat the drained oysters directly in this basil-mixed sweet potato flour (no egg/flour wet batter; use the oyster's moisture to adhere the flour).
- Drop gently into 170°C oil, frying briefly (~
- mins) until golden so the oysters don't lose too much moisture.
- Drain, sprinkle with salt and pepper (Jiao Yan Fen). Green basil is visible through the crust.
Learn more Spice, substitutes, tips
Key spices
White pepper and Taiwanese basil freshness
Substitutes at Japanese supermarkets
Japanese small oysters (for cooking), Potato starch mixed with basil powder
Pairing
Ice-cold Taiwan Beer
Trivia
[For Adults] Unlike Japanese Kakifurai thick with breadcrumbs, this batter is thin and crispy. The Taiwan basil mixed directly into the flour completely erases the oyster's ocean smell, making it a refreshing, snackable supreme appetizer.
Eating tips & etiquette
[Unique Eating] Biting the crispy crust makes piping hot 'milk of the sea' burst out, so eat carefully to avoid burns, alongside the garnished 'shrimp crackers (Xiabing)'!
Allergen
Oysters