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1. Stir the flour, warm water, 3 tablespoons of oil and ½ teaspoon of salt together in a large mixing bowl until they have combined to make a smooth cream. Do not beat or overstir.
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2. For best results, set the finished batter aside at room temperature and let it rest for about 2 hours, although it may be used at once if it must.
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3. The egg white should be beaten vigorously with a whisk or rotary beater until it is stiff and then folded into the batter just before the batter is used.
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4. Bring 1 quart of water to a boil in a 3- to 4-quart saucepan and in it simmer the squid, covered, over moderate heat for 20 minutes. Drain the squid through a sieve or colander and lay the pieces on paper towels.
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5. Shell and devein the shrimp, leaving the tails on. Wash the shrimp and the smelts quickly under coldrunning water, dry them and set them aside with the squid.Salt and pepper the squid, shrimp and smelts.
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6. Heat 3 to 4 inches of oil or shortening in a deep-fat fryer to 375°. Preheat the oven to 250° and line a large shallow baking dish or baking sheet with paper towels.
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7. Deep-fry the shrimp, smelts and squid separately, first dropping 5 or 6 pieces into the batter (into which you have just folded the beaten egg white).
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8. When they are well coated, lift them out one by one with tongs or a slotted spoon. Hold the pieces over the batter bowl for a second to let the excess batter drain off before placing them in the hot oil.
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9. Deep-fry the shellfish, turning the pieces once or twice, for 5 or 6 minutes, or until golden brown. With tongs, transfer the browned pieces to the lined baking dish or baking sheet to drain.
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10. When you have fried the first batch, place the baking sheet or dish in the oven to keep the fried shellfish warm.
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11. Then dip the next batch into the batter and deep-fry it. As soon as the last piece is fried and drained, arrange the shellfish on a napkin-lined platter and serve it, garnished with lemon quarters.
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