Tempura

Ingredients

• 300g assorted vegetables, eggplant, shiitake, carrot, shrimp, squid
• 200ml ice-cold water
• 100g cake flour, soft wheat
• 50g cornstarch
• 1 egg yolk, large
• 10ml sake
• 5g salt, fine sea salt
• 2 litres neutral oil, vegetable or peanut oil, for frying
• Dipping Sauce
• 200ml dashi, primary stock
• 50ml soy sauce, Kikkoman shoyu
• 20ml mirin, naturally brewed
• 10ml rice vinegar
• 1 daikon radish, finely grated
• 5g fresh wasabi, grated
• Garni
• 20g scallions, sliced
• 30g pickled ginger, gari

Method

1. 1
   Cut eggplant into 8mm half-moons; slice shiitake caps in half; julienne carrot into 8cm matchsticks; slice squid into rings 5mm thick; leave shrimp whole with tail intact.
2. 2
   Combine dashi, soy sauce, mirin and rice vinegar in small saucepan; bring to simmer and cool to room temperature, divide into small dipping bowls and top each with grated daikon and wasabi.
3. 3
   Heat neutral oil in deep-sided pot or fryer to exactly 170°C; preheat serving platter lined with absorbent paper in 120°C oven.
4. 4
   Prepare tempura batter by whisking together ice-cold water, egg yolk, sake and salt in shallow bowl until combined; sift in cake flour and cornstarch, fold gently 3–4 times until small lumps remain (batter should be thin and pourable).
5. 5
   Dip vegetables and seafood individually into ice-cold tempura batter, coating evenly; immediately lower into 170°C oil using chopsticks or deep-fry spoon, avoid crowding pan.
6. 6
   Fry each piece for 2–3 minutes until pale golden and batter is crisp (not dark brown); transfer to paper-lined platter in preheated oven to drain excess oil.
7. 7
   Arrange fried tempura on warmed ceramic platter; serve immediately with dipping sauce on the side, garnish with sliced scallions and pickled ginger, eat within 2 minutes of service for optimal crispness.