Tempura
60 g (2 oz) all-purpose flour for dredging 1 eggplant, cut diagonally into long, thick slices 120 g (1 cup) pumpkin or sweet potato, peeled and sliced into thin wedges 100 g (¾ cup) green beans, trimmed 1 small onion, cut in crescents 4 fresh shiitake mushrooms, stems removed 90 g (2/3 cup) fresh or frozen green peas 8–10 prawns, peeled and deveined, with tails intact 4 whitebait, about 60 g (2 oz) each, or white fish fillets, sliced 4 scallops, cleaned and sliced in half horizontally Oil for deep-frying Tempura Dipping Sauce (page 3) Batter 2 egg yolks 500 ml (2 cups) iced water 250 g (2 cups) all-purpose flour
Servings Prep Time
4 20minutes
Cook Time
30minutes
Servings Prep Time
4 20minutes
Cook Time
30minutes
Ingredients
Instructions
  1. 1 Put flour for dredging in mixing bowl and set aside.
  2. 2 Heat oil in wok or deep-fryer to 160˚C (325°F).
  3. 3 To prepare first batch batter, beat 1 egg yolk with 1 cup ice water in a mixing bowl until smooth. Add 1 cup flour all at once, and stir briefly with chopsticks or a fork until just combined. The batter may be lumpy but should be quite thin. Do not overmix.
  4. 4 Dredge the eggplant, pumpkin, green beans and onion pieces in flour, shaking off any excess. Dip a slice of vegetable into the batter and gently shake off any excess.
  5. 5 Carefully slip vegetables, 5 to 6 pieces at a time, into the hot oil, and cook, turning once, until crisp, about 2 to 3 minutes. Remove from oil with a slotted spoon and drain on a wire rack or paper towels.
  6. 6 To cook mushrooms, spoon batter on the underside of the mushrooms, shaking off any excess. Place mushrooms in oil, batter side down, and fry, turning once, until tender, about 1 minute. Remove from oil with a slotted spoon and drain on paper toweling.
  7. 7 Sprinkle green peas lightly with flour. Scoop about 1 tablespoon peas into a slotted spoon and coat the peas in batter. Let excess batter from peas drip from spoon. Carefully place peas into the oil and cook for 2 to 3 minutes, turning once, until batter is crisp. Remove from oil and drain on paper toweling.
  8. 8 Heat oil to 180˚C (350°F). Meanwhile, prepare second batch batter. Dredge the seafood with flour and dip into batter. Cook seafood until golden and crisp, about 3 minutes. (Prawns may take 1 minute more, depending on size.) Remove from oil with a slotted spoon and drain on paper toweling.
  9. 9 Pour about 3 tablespoons warm Tempura Dipping Sauce into small sauce bowls and serve with a selection of tempura.