Ingredients

3/4 cup unbleached all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon sugar

Salt

1/2 cup strong Belgian-style golden ale, such as Duvel

1 large egg, separated

2 tablespoons finely grated peeled fresh ginger

1 quart plus 1 tablespoon vegetable oil

24 large shrimp, shelled and deveined, tails left on

Green Herb Sauce

Preparation

  1. In a medium bowl, mix the flour with the sugar and 1 teaspoon of salt. Make a well in the center of the dry ingredients; stir in the ale, egg yolk, ginger and the 1 tablespoon of oil. Gradually stir the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients. Let the batter stand at room temperature for 20 minutes.
  2. Meanwhile, in a large, heavy saucepan, heat the 1 quart of oil to 360°. In a small bowl, whisk the egg white with a pinch of salt until stiff peaks form. Gently fold the egg white into the batter. Dip the shrimp into the batter, one at a time, letting any excess batter drip back into the bowl. Fry the shrimp in batches over moderate heat until golden and crisp, 2 to 3 minutes. Transfer the shrimp to paper towels to drain. Serve hot with the Green Herb Sauce (below).

Green Herb Sauce - ingredients

* 3 tablespoons minced flat-leaf parsley

* 3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

* 3 tablespoons water

* 2 tablespoons vegetable oil

* 1 1/2 tablespoons minced shallots

* 1 1/2 tablespoons minced chives

* 1 teaspoon thyme leaves

* 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper

* Salt

In a small bowl, mix the parsley with the lemon juice, water, oil, shallots, chives, thyme and cayenne. Season with salt.