From above, you see a decorative alternating pattern of bright orange carrot dusted with pale puffed tempura and moist Dungeness crab, all resting on a gently crushed seaweed paper. It's garnished with a vibrant yuzu glaze, chives and sesame seeds.

Carrot Tempura Dungeness Crab Bites

Name: Carrot Tempura Dungeness Crab Bites
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 15 min
Total time: 30 min
Yield: 2
Cuisine: Japanese
Ingredients: large carrots, 2 julienned; Dungeness crab, 100g fresh and fully cooked; freshly squeezed yuzu, 2 tablespoons; seaweed papers, 4 sheets crumbled; chives, 1 tablespoon finely chopped; sesame seeds, 1 tablespoon toasted; tempura batter, enough to coat the carrots; neutral oil, enough for deep frying; sea salt, to taste

Category Snack

Prep 15 minutes

Cook 15 minutes

Style Japanese

Technique Deep Frying

Diet Friendly Gluten-Free

Daily Recipe: January 15, 2026

This dish, inspired by Japanese cuisine, embraces the oft-overlooked carrot in an imaginative, playful way. The humble carrot gets a gourmet twist, while fresh seasonal ingredients like Dungeness crab and yuzu adds unmissable flavor and dimensions.

Ingredients (for 2)

Large carrots - 2 - julienned
Dungeness crab - 100g - fresh and fully cooked
Freshly squeezed yuzu - 2 tablespoons
Seaweed papers - 4 sheets - crumbled
Chives - 1 tablespoon - finely chopped
Sesame seeds - 1 tablespoon - toasted
Tempura batter - enough to coat the carrots
Neutral oil - enough for deep frying
Sea salt - to taste

Preparation

Step 1 - 🍳⏲️🔥

Heat your oil in a deep fryer or large pan, turning the heat up to 180C/350F.
Step 2 - 🥕🔨🍤

Dip your julienned carrots into the tempura batter then fry until they are golden brown and crispy. Drain the excess oil on a paper towel-lined plate
Step 3 - 🥗🦀🍽️

Create a neat mound of seaweed crumble on each plate. Arrange the crisp tempura carrots and fresh Dungeness crab on top
Step 4 - 🍋🌱🧂

Drizzle fresh yuzu juice over each dish, sprinkle finely chopped chives and roasted sesame seeds, then finish with a pinch of sea salt

Additional

This dish is a wonderful way to introduce children to cooking - they can help in prepping the carrots. For a vegan version, replace the Dungeness crab with tempura-coated avocado and add a drop of wasabi to the yuzu drizzle for a kick.