oil (this reduces oil breakdown into sticky polymers), or lightly oil the fish surfaces instead If an especially crisp skin or crust is desired, the fish should be started on that side, pressed gently to maximize contact between hot pan and skin, and left long enough on high heat to develop the desired texture, then turned once and allowed to finish cooking through on lower heat Thin fillets cook in just a few minutes per side, and require a hotter pan in order to brown quickly Deep Frying In deep frying, the fish is usually protected with a batter or breading, and more or less immersed in oil, a relatively inefficient conductor of heat, at a temperature around 350ºF/175ºC, well above the boiling point of water The surface dries out and gets hot enough to brown and to develop a characteristic rich aroma and a crisp crust that acts as a layer of insulation and slows subsequent heating The fish is therefore heated evenly from all directions, but fairly gently, giving the cook some leeway in removing it while it’s still moist inside Japanese Tempura The classic Japanese version of fried fish is fish tempura, a preparation and term that were borrowed in the late 16th century from Portuguese and Spanish missionaries who cooked fish during fasting seasons (tempora means “period of time”) Tempura — which now means a batter-fried food of any sort — is characterized by relatively small pieces that cook in just a few minutes, and a fresh, barely mixed batter made from an egg yolk, cup/120 gm flour, and 1 cup/250 ml ice water stirred together with chopsticks just before the frying As in all batters, cold water makes the mixture more viscous and thus better retained on the fish surface The freshness of the batter means that the flour particles have little time to soak up water, so the moisture is rapidly ... As in all batters, cold water makes the mixture more viscous and thus better retained on the fish surface The freshness of the batter means that the flour particles have little time to soak up water, so the moisture... borrowed in the late 16th century from Portuguese and Spanish missionaries who cooked fish during fasting seasons (tempora means “period of time”) Tempura — which now means a batter-fried food of any... directions, but fairly gently, giving the cook some leeway in removing it while it’s still moist inside Japanese Tempura The classic Japanese version of fried fish is fish tempura, a preparation and