Yasai Tempura

Nutrition · per serving

Steps

1. 1

   Prepare the vegetables: slice the sweet potato into 4-5 mm rounds, cut the zucchini into 1 cm thick batons or diagonal slices, cut the eggplant into 1 cm thick batons, and split any large broccoli florets into bite-size pieces. Pat everything very dry; moisture is the enemy of crisp tempura.

   180 g sweet potato, peeled120 g broccoli florets120 g zucchini120 g eggplant
2. 2

   Place the dashi stock, soy sauce, and mirin in a small saucepan and bring just to a simmer for 1 minute to meld the flavors. Pour into serving bowls and let it cool slightly; add the grated daikon just before serving.

   120 ml dashi stock45 ml soy sauce30 ml mirin
3. 3

   Pour the neutral oil into a deep, heavy pot and heat to 170-180°C. Line a tray or plate with a wire rack or paper towel. A steady medium-hot oil temperature is key: too cool and the batter absorbs oil, too hot and the vegetables brown before cooking through.

   1 litre neutral oil for deep-frying
4. 4

   Dust the prepared vegetables lightly with the 15 g flour. This thin coating helps the batter cling evenly, especially on smooth zucchini and eggplant surfaces.

   15 g plain flour180 g sweet potato, peeled120 g broccoli florets120 g zucchini120 g eggplant
5. 5

   Make the batter at the last possible moment: in a bowl, lightly beat the cold egg with the ice-cold sparkling water, then add the flour and cornstarch. Stir with chopsticks or a fork for only 8-10 seconds, leaving plenty of small lumps. An undermixed batter fries up lighter and crisper than a smooth one.

   1 medium egg, very cold160 ml ice-cold sparkling water90 g plain flour20 g cornstarch
6. 6

   Dip half the vegetables into the batter one piece at a time, letting excess drip off, then fry in batches without crowding. Cook the sweet potato for about 2 1/2-3 minutes until just tender, and the broccoli, zucchini, and eggplant for 1 1/2-2 minutes until the coating is pale gold and crisp. Turn once or twice for even frying.

   180 g sweet potato, peeled120 g broccoli florets120 g zucchini120 g eggplant90 g plain flour20 g cornstarch1 medium egg, very cold160 ml ice-cold sparkling water1 litre neutral oil for deep-frying
7. 7

   Transfer the fried tempura to the rack, sprinkle very lightly with sea salt, and skim any loose batter bits from the oil between batches so they do not burn. Recheck that the oil returns to 170-180°C before frying the remaining vegetables.

   2 g fine sea salt1 litre neutral oil for deep-frying
8. 8

   Stir the grated daikon into the dipping sauce. Serve the tempura immediately while audibly crisp, with the warm dipping sauce on the side for dunking.

   60 g grated daikon120 ml dashi stock45 ml soy sauce30 ml mirin

Origin & History

Tempura was introduced to Japan in the 16th century through Portuguese influence and was gradually adapted into a distinctly Japanese cooking style. Over time, Edo-style tempura evolved into a refined technique focused on delicacy, seasonal ingredients, and a light, crisp batter. Vegetable tempura, or yasai tempura, remains a popular way to showcase produce in both home cooking and specialist tempura restaurants.