Kaki Fry (Japanese Fried Oysters)

Ingredients

• 16 oysters, fresh or jarred
• Dash kosher salt
• Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
• Canola oil, for deep-frying
• 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
• 2 large eggs, beaten
• 1 cup Japanese panko breadcrumbs
• 4 cups shredded green cabbage
• 1 lemon, cut into wedges, for garnish
• 1 bottle tonkatsu sauce, or tartar sauce, for dipping

Steps

1. Gather the ingredients
2. Clean oysters in salted water and dry with paper towels.
3. Sprinkle salt and pepper over oysters to season.
4. Pour 1 to 2 cups canola oil into a medium-sized pot over medium-high heat. Watch carefully to bring to approximately 350 F.
5. Prepare work station to bread oysters. In three separate shallow dishes, add flour in one, beaten eggs in another, and panko in the last dish.
6. In this order, coat the oysters first in flour, then eggs, and finally in panko.
7. When oil has reached 350 F, fry oysters until brown, about 1 to 2 minutes on one side and then turn over. When they float in the oil, they are done. Drain on paper towels and keep warm.
8. Plate thinly julienned (or shredded) cabbage on individual dishes and serve warm fried oysters alongside the cabbage.
9. Garnish each plate with 1 to 2 lemon wedges. Serve fried oysters with choices of either bottled ton katsu sauce or bottled tartar sauce.