Beltfish and Sweet Potato Oharagi-Age

The dish name Ohara-gi ("Ohara firewood") refers to a preparation in which several ingredients, cut into thin batons or fine julienne strips, are laid side by side and tied together with nori or dried gourd strips (kanpyo) to resemble a bundle of firewood - so named because it evokes the kuroki firewood produced in Ohara, Kyoto. Since it imitates firewood, it is a dish commonly made in autumn and winter; this time it is deep-fried, but it can also be simmered or used in vinegared dishes.

For deep-fried dishes, the most important factor is the oil temperature. If the temperature is too low, the food turns greasy; if it's too high, it burns. It's often said that around 170°C is ideal for deep-frying, but that is only a general guideline for frying tempura well. Naturally, the ideal temperature varies by ingredient, and it also changes with the quantity of food being fried. If you're frying about three pieces at a time, a slightly lower temperature is fine, but if you're frying ten pieces together, adding the ingredients will drop the oil temperature, so you need to set the oil a bit hotter than usual to begin with.

① Cut the beltfish (tachiuo) into fillets and sprinkle with salt. Cut the tachiuo into square rods 7 cm long and 3 mm thick, preparing 30 g worth; cut the sweet potato into square rods 6 cm long and 3 mm thick, preparing 20 g worth.

② Dust the tachiuo and sweet potato with potato starch, and divide each into two equal portions.

③ Cut nori into strips. Bundle the tachiuo and sweet potato (maruju) together, wrap with the nori, and seal with egg white; make two of these.

④ Deep-fry in 170°C oil until nicely colored, and sprinkle with salt.

⑤ For the leaf-shaped kabocha, cut kabocha squash into the shape of a leaf. For the ginkgo-leaf-shaped nagaimo, cut nagaimo yam into the shape of a ginkgo leaf. Then deep-fry the leaf-shaped kabocha, the ginkgo-leaf-shaped nagaimo, and the Fushimi pepper plain, without batter, and sprinkle with salt.

⑥ Crack the ginkgo nut shells, fry in low-temperature oil to loosen the thin inner skin, then peel and sprinkle with salt.

⑦ Cut the sudachi in half, and plate attractively for good color.