Assorted Tempura
Tempura is one of Japan's most famous and delicious dishes. Fish, rather than meat, is traditionally used, but choose any vegetable you like. The essence of good tempura is that it should be cooked and served immediately.
Ingredients
- 1 small sweet potato, about 115g / 4oz
- 8 large tiger prawns
- 1 small squid, cleaned
- vegetable oil, for deep frying
- flour, for coating
- 1 small carrot, cut into matchsticks
- 4 shiitake mushrooms, stems removed
- 50g / 2oz French beans, trimmed
- 1 red pepper, seeded and sliced into 2cm / ¾in thick strips
For the dip:
- 200ml / 7fl oz / scant 1 cup water
- 45mI / 3 tbsp mirin (sweet rice wine)
- 10g / ¼oz bonito flakes
- 45mI / 3 tbsp Japanese soy sauce
For the batter:
- 1 egg
- 90ml/6 tbsp iced water
- 75g / 3oz / ¾ cup plain flour
- 2.5mI / ½ tsp baking powder
- 2 ice cubes
Preparation
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- Mix the dip ingredients in a pan. Bring to the boil, cool, then strain. Divide among 4-6 bowls. Slice the unpeeled sweet potato thinly. Put in a bowl with cold water to cover.
- Peel the prawns, leaving the tail shells intact, and de-vein. Lay a prawn on its side. Make three or four diagonal slits, about two-thirds of the way in towards the spine, leaving all the pieces attached. Repeat with the rest. Flatten with your fingers. Cut the body of the squid into 3cm / 1¼in thick strips.
- Put the egg in a large bowl, stir without beating and set half aside. Add the water, flour and baking powder. Stir two or three times, leaving some flour unblended. Add the ice cubes.
- Heat the oil in a deep fryer to 185°C/ 365°F. Dust the prawns lightly with flour. Holding each in turn by the tail, dip them into the batter, then carefully lower them into the hot oil; cook until golden. Fry the remaining prawns and the squid in the same way. Keep warm.
- Reduce the temperature of the oil to 170°C/340°F. Drain the sweet potato and pat dry. Dip the vegetables into the batter and deep fry (see Cook's Tip). Drain well, then keep warm. As soon as all the tempura are ready, serve with the dip.
COOK'S TIP
Batter and deep fry the carrots and beans in small bunches. The mushrooms look best if only the undersides are dipped. Cut a cross in the upper side of the mushroom cap, if you like.
Serves 4-6.