Thursday, January 22, 2009

Panko Please!

Q: Ever wonder how your favourite Japanese eatery always gets their shrimp to be so light and fluffy, but also with the requisite crisp- and flake-factor that you so desire?

A: Panko breadcrumbs. You can buy them at the store or make them yourself for a buck. Easy breezy Japaneasy.

Panko breadcrumbs are made with white bread, no crust. Some say wonderbread works best, I just hollowed out half an Italian loaf. As long as it's white sans crust, you're good to go.

Just get some bread, and if you have a food processor, great, then shred the bread so you get nice fluffy pieces. IF you don't (I don't) you can do what I did. Just ball up your bread and grate it on a cheese grater.

Spread the flakes on a baking pan, put it in the oven for 6-8 minutes at 400F, shaking the pan once or twice while they are in there. Don't let them get toasted or browned. That's it. Then you can store them in the freezer for a couple days even weeks if need be, to crispify anything you want really.

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