Kakiage — Mixed Tempura Fritter

Tokyo, Japan — tempura tradition specialisation

Kakiage is a specific form of tempura in which multiple ingredients (typically small shrimp, thin-sliced vegetables, and sometimes strips of squid or cuttlefish) are bound together with minimal batter and fried as a free-form fritter rather than individually-battered pieces. The technique is more demanding than standard tempura — the batter must be thin enough for transparency and crispness but sufficient to hold the ingredients in a cohesive disc during frying. Ingredients are tossed in the batter just before frying and slid from a spoon or spatula directly into the oil, where they spread slightly and bind together. Kakiage requires slightly higher oil temperature (180–185°C) than standard tempura. Classic combinations: sakura ebi (cherry blossom shrimp) + mitsuba; corn + edamame; kisu (smelt) + julienned vegetables. Served as tempura or atop soba/udon.

Crisp, airy batter with sweet-savoury mixed interior; sakura ebi gives distinctive ocean sweetness; corn adds pops of sweetness; mitsuba adds herbal freshness