Crispy Vegetable Tempura

Method

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1. Put the flour and cornflour in the freezer for 20 minutes and chill a metal mixing bowl alongside.

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2. Make the tentsuyu: bring the dashi, soy sauce and mirin to a simmer, then cool. Serve with a mound of grated daikon stirred in at the table.

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3. Score the underside of each prawn in three places and press gently to straighten it — this stops them curling in the oil.

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4. Pat every ingredient bone dry and dust lightly with a little extra flour, tapping off the excess so the batter has something to cling to.

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5. Heat the oil to 180°C / 355°F. Only when it is at temperature, mix the batter: whisk the yolk into the sparkling water, then tip in the chilled flours and stir with chopsticks four or five times only. Lumps and dry pockets are correct.

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6. Dip each piece, let the excess drip off for a second, and lower it gently into the oil. Fry three or four pieces at a time for 2 to 3 minutes until pale gold and crackling — tempura should never brown deeply.

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7. Flick a few drops of batter into the oil around each piece to create the traditional lacy tenkasu fragments.

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8. Drain upright on a rack, never on paper. Serve immediately with the tentsuyu.

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Chef’s Tips

• Sit the batter bowl inside a larger bowl of ice while you work; it warms up fast and warm batter goes heavy.
• Skim the oil between batches or the burnt fragments will speckle the next round.
• Make a fresh half-batch of batter halfway through rather than trying to keep one bowl cold for 20 minutes.

Pairing Suggestions

• Cold sake or a dry Riesling
• Serve with steamed rice and miso soup for a full set
• Finish with green tea and a wedge of melon

Storage & Reheating

Tempura is a strictly immediate dish and loses its crispness within 15 minutes. The tentsuyu keeps 1 week refrigerated.

Common questions

Nutritional Highlights

Per serving, calculated from the ingredient list. Treat these as an estimate — brands and cuts vary.