Tempura-Battered Smelt - cooking recipe

Ingredients

1 cup rice wine
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 pound smelt
1 tablespoon all-purpose flour, or as needed
2 quarts oil for deep frying
3/4 cup ice water
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 cup cornstarch
2 egg yolks
2 teaspoons sesame seeds
2 teaspoons sesame oil
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon white sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt

Preparation

Whisk rice wine and 1/2 teaspoon salt together in a bowl. Lightly dust smelt with about 1 tablespoon flour. Add smelt to rice wine mixture; cover bowl with plastic wrap and marinate in the refrigerator for about 20 minutes.
Heat oil in a deep-fryer or large wok to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C).
Mix ice water, 1/2 cup flour, cornstarch, egg yolks, sesame seeds, sesame oil, baking powder, sugar, and 1/2 teaspoon salt together in a bowl.
Remove smelt from rice wine mixture and dip, 1 at a time, into the flour mixture until evenly coated. Discard remaining rice wine mixture.
Carefully fry smelt, 2 or 3 at a time, in the hot oil until golden on all sides, 3 to 4 minutes. Remove with a slotted spoon and drain on paper towel-lined plates. Repeat frying with remaining smelt. Serve warm.