Tempura Recipe

Prepare cold ingredients

Place 1 cup ice-cold water in a mixing cup and add 2 ice cubes. If using seltzer, substitute up to 1/2 cup of the water with cold seltzer. Crack 1 egg into a small bowl and lightly beat it. Keep everything chilled in the refrigerator until ready to mix.

Combine dry ingredients

In a medium bowl, sift together 1 cup all-purpose flour, 1 tablespoon rice flour (or cornstarch), and 1 teaspoon baking powder (if using). Sifting helps keep the batter light and prevents lumps.

Make batter gently

Pour the lightly beaten egg into the cold water, stir once to combine. Immediately pour the liquid into the bowl with the dry ingredients. Using chopsticks or a fork, stir the mixture very briefly—just until streaks of flour disappear. Do not overmix; a few lumps are desirable. Keep the batter chilled over a bowl of ice if you will not use it right away.

Prepare shrimp

Make 3 shallow slits along the underside of each shrimp to prevent curling when frying. Pat shrimp dry with paper towels. Lightly dust the shrimp with a thin coating of flour to help the batter adhere.

Prepare vegetables

Slice sweet potato into 1/4-inch rounds, cut zucchini into 1/4-inch rounds or sticks, trim green beans, halve or trim shiitake mushrooms, and cut bell pepper into strips. Pat all vegetables dry; excess moisture will cause hot oil splatter and thin the batter.

Season

Lightly sprinkle the vegetables and shrimp with a pinch of fine sea salt just before battering (do not over-salt; dipping sauce will add flavor).

Heat oil

Pour 6 cups neutral oil into a deep heavy-bottomed pot or a deep fryer and heat to 340-360°F (170-180°C). If you don't have a thermometer, drop a small bit of batter into the oil—if it sinks briefly then quickly rises and puffs up, the temperature is about right.

Batter and fry in batches

Maintain the batter on ice and stir lightly just before using. Working in small batches (do not overcrowd), dip each piece of vegetable or shrimp into the batter, allowing excess to drip off, and gently slide into the hot oil. Fry for: shrimp 2–3 minutes until golden and cooked through; thin vegetables (green beans, zucchini rounds) 1–2 minutes; thicker vegetables (sweet potato slices) 2.5–3.5 minutes. Turn pieces as needed for even color.

Drain

Use a slotted spoon or spider to remove tempura to a wire rack set over a baking sheet or paper towels to drain. Keep finished tempura warm in a low oven (200°F/95°C) for a short time if frying multiple batches, but do not stack pieces (stacking will make them soggy). For extra crispness, finish with a few drops of toasted sesame oil tossed lightly over the cooked pieces (optional).

Make sauce

In a small saucepan, combine 1 cup dashi, 2 tablespoons soy sauce, and 2 tablespoons mirin. Bring just to a simmer for 30–60 seconds, then remove from heat. Alternatively, combine and serve at room temperature. Spoon grated daikon into small individual bowls and pour the warm or room-temperature sauce over it. Serve the sauce alongside the tempura for dipping.

Serve the tempura immediately while hot and crisp with the tentsuyu dipping sauce and a small dish of fine sea salt if desired. Provide lemon wedges if preferred. Encourage diners to dip (not soak) pieces briefly into the sauce to preserve crispness.