Another Attempt at Tempura

Cafe Drake continues with mixed results to attempt to perfect our beloved Japanese savoury of battered and deep-fried veggies. The good news is the rice finally worked out, after several washings in cold water to remove starch and boiled till almost dry, then covered and steamed on low low low heat for 20 minutes. The clinging grains were bolstered by umeboshi (Japanese salty pickled plums) and nori strips for wrapping. Thordis proved amazingly adept at creating these seaweed/rice bundles with chopsticks alone - even after three Gimlets.

Ice-battered and then plunged in boiling oil were sliced yams, bell peppers, red onion rings, shiso leaves and string beans. An unorthodox tempura dipping sauce consisted of soy, ponzu, rice vinegar and grated ginger. Dessert waited for an hour after coffee so heavy were the veggies, however Thordis managed to slurp down a tall raspberry milkshake and post-meal cocktails of gin and ginger ale.

Tastiest of all to Cafe Drake were Thordis' dry prosecco contribution and the pleasure of her company of course, all heightened with a late-night viewing of a (now just follow us here) British animal rights horror movie.