Mixed Tempura Recipe

Prepare dry mix

In a medium bowl whisk together all-purpose flour, rice flour, cornstarch, salt, and baking soda (if using). Mix briefly so flours are evenly combined; do not overwork.

Make ice water & egg

Crack the egg into a separate small bowl and lightly beat just until combined. Add the egg to a measuring cup with the ice water; keep the mixture very cold (place measuring cup in a bowl of ice if needed).

Combine batter

Just before frying, pour the cold egg-ice-water mixture into the dry mix and fold once or twice with chopsticks or a fork. The batter should be lumpy and thin — do not overmix. Small lumps and some visible dry flour are okay; this creates the characteristic airy, lacey texture.

Prepare shrimp

Pat shrimp dry with paper towels. Make 2 shallow parallel slits (along the underside) in each shrimp to prevent curling; press gently to flatten. Lightly dust shrimp with 1 teaspoon of the dry flour mix (from the batter dry mix) to help batter adhere.

Prepare vegetables

Pat vegetables dry. Slice sweet potato and kabocha thinly (1/8 inch). Keep green beans whole and pat mushrooms dry; if using shiso leaves, gently pat dry and leave whole. Arrange all prepared items on a tray for quick dipping.

Heat oil

Pour oil into a wide, heavy-bottomed pot or deep skillet to a depth of about 1.5–2 inches (enough to float pieces). Heat oil over medium-high until it reaches 350°F (175°C). If you don't have a thermometer, test by dropping a small pinch of batter into the oil — it should sizzle and float immediately and form a pale golden lace within ~30–60 seconds.

Fry in batches

Working in small batches (3–4 pieces at a time, avoid overcrowding), dip each prepared shrimp or vegetable once into the batter, letting excess batter drip back into the bowl for 1–2 seconds to preserve a thin, lacy coating. Gently lower into hot oil. Fry shrimp ~2–3 minutes total until batter is crisp and shrimp are pink and opaque; fry thin vegetables 1.5–3 minutes depending on thickness until crisp and lightly golden. Turn as needed with tongs or chopsticks for even coloring. Maintain oil temperature between 330–360°F (165–180°C), adjusting heat as needed.

Drain and keep crisp

Remove fried pieces with a spider/skimmer and drain on a wire rack set over a baking sheet (not paper towels, which trap steam). For the best lacey texture, serve immediately. If keeping warm for a few minutes, place in a 200°F (95°C) oven on the rack to stay crisp, but do not cover.

Use neutral oil with a high smoke point and monitor temperature closely. Reheat oil between batches if it cools; if oil smokes or becomes dark, replace it. Strain oil through a fine sieve if reusing on the same day to remove batter bits that can burn.

Make dashi base (if making from scratch)

If preparing dashi from kombu and bonito: wipe a 4-inch piece of kombu then simmer 1.25 cups water with kombu until just before boiling; remove kombu, add a handful (about 1/2 cup) bonito flakes, steep 1 minute off heat, then strain. You will have roughly 1 cup dashi. Alternatively, dissolve instant dashi to make 1 cup.

Combine sauce

In a small saucepan combine 1 cup dashi, 2 tbsp soy sauce, 1 tbsp mirin, 1 tbsp sake (optional), 1/2 tbsp rice vinegar and 1/2 tsp sugar. Bring just to a gentle simmer for 30 seconds to marry flavors; do not boil vigorously. Remove from heat and stir in 1 tbsp bonito flakes; let steep 3–5 minutes for extra umami, then strain into a small bowl.

Finish and serve

Transfer dip to a shallow serving bowl. Garnish with thinly sliced scallion and offer grated daikon on the side for guests to mix into the dip. Serve warm or at room temperature alongside freshly fried tempura and lemon wedges.