Mixed Fry of Shrimp and Smelts

The Japanese excel in making light, lacy fries of fish and seafood. One secret is in mixing the batter: Use only icy cold water (to retard the sticky action of the gluten in the flour), and combine batter and ingredients at the last moment, just before frying. Another secret is in maintaining the right temperature of the oil: It should be hot enough to make the batter puff and sizzle immediately, but not so hot that the batter browns right away.