Yasai Tempura

Ingredients

Instructions

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

Nutrition per serving

Notes

• •Keep all batter ingredients very cold; you can even chill the mixing bowl for 5 minutes beforehand.
• •Do not make the batter ahead of time. Mix it just before frying to minimize gluten development and preserve carbonation.
• •If you prefer a slightly lighter sauce, dilute the tentsuyu with 1-2 tablespoons of hot water before serving.
• •Good accompaniments include steamed rice, soba noodles, or a simple cabbage salad with sesame dressing.

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