If you find yourself on your lonesome as I do today (Mrs Wanderer has gone to a ‘Crafternoon’ to make Easterly things) this is an ideal and reasonably quick lunch to prepare. This is quite a substantial meal (I don’t cook small) so scale back on the prawns and lentils if needed.
Serves 1. Prep time 10 minutes, cooking time about fifteen.
Ingredients:
For the tempura batter:
70g cornflower
30g plain flower
80ml sparkling water, chilled
For the prawns and lentils:
5 large raw king prawns
4cm piece of chorizo quartered lengthways and diced
1 shallot, diced
Sprig of fresh parsley, chopped
100g lentils, drained
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 teaspoon garlic puree
Salt to taste
Recipe:
In a medium size saucepan heat the olive oil and add the diced shallot. Sweat down on a gentle heat for 5 minutes and then add the garlic puree. Cook down for a few more minutes and add the chorizo, cooking for a further 5. Add half the chopped parsley and all the lentils and stir through. Continue to warm through on a low heat until the prawns are ready. Season with a couple of twists of salt if required.
In a small bowl add the chilled water to the flour mix and whisk thoroughly to a smooth batter consistency.
Meanwhile heat a shallow frying pan and add enough olive oil for about a 3mm depth. To test the heat of the oil put a small drop of batter in until it sizzles. Dip each prawn in the batter and add to the frying pan one at a time. Work around the clock face as you add them. When you get round to adding the last prawn wait about 20 seconds more and the first one will be ready to turn over. Work round in order again as you turn them: 1,2,3 etc.
When the tempura batter is nice and golden on both sides remove the prawns and rest on a sheet of kitchen paper for a minute.
Dish up the chorizo and lentils onto a warmed plate and arrange the prawns on top. Sprinkle with the remaining parsley and serve! Yum!
The Willoughton Wanderer 
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