Shrimp & Vegetable Tempura Recipe

Prepare dry mix

Whisk together 1.5 cups all-purpose flour, 0.5 cup cornstarch, 0.5 tsp baking powder and 0.5 tsp salt in a medium bowl until evenly combined.

Prepare wet mix

Crack 1 large egg into a separate bowl, lightly beat, then add 1 cup ice-cold water. Optionally add a few ice cubes to keep the mixture very cold.

Make the batter

Pour the cold egg-water into the dry mix and stir with chopsticks or a fork just until combined. The batter should be slightly lumpy and thin — do not overmix; some streaks of flour are fine. Keep the batter in a bowl set over a larger bowl filled with ice to keep it cold.

Dredge flour

Place 1/2 cup additional flour in a shallow dish. Pat shrimp and vegetables dry with paper towels and lightly dredge each piece in flour, shaking off excess. This helps the batter adhere.

Prepare shrimp: Pat the 12 shrimp dry, make 3 shallow diagonal slits on the underside (to prevent curling) or gently press to straighten. Leave tails on for presentation. Lightly season with a pinch of salt. Keep refrigerated until ready to fry.

Prepare vegetables: Wash and dry the sweet potato, zucchini, shiitake mushrooms, green beans and scallions. Slice the sweet potato into 1/8- to 1/4-inch rounds (thinner slices fry faster), slice zucchini into 1/4-inch rounds, remove mushroom stems, trim green beans, and cut scallions into 2-inch lengths. Pat all pieces dry.

Blanch thicker items if desired: To ensure even cooking for sweet potato rounds, you may blanch them in boiling water 1–2 minutes then cool in ice water and pat dry before dredging.

Heat oil: Pour about 1 liter vegetable oil into a deep pot or fryer, leaving ample headroom. Heat to 340–360°F (170–180°C). If you don't have a thermometer, test by dropping a little batter — it should sizzle and rise immediately but not burn.

Batter and fry in small batches: Keep the batter cold. Dip each floured piece (shrimp or vegetable) into the batter, letting excess drip off lightly. Carefully lower into the hot oil using tongs or a slotted spoon. Fry in small batches to avoid temperature drop: about 2–3 minutes for shrimp (until batter is crisp and shrimp turn pink) and 2–4 minutes for vegetables depending on thickness; sweet potato may take toward the higher end. Flip once if necessary to brown evenly.

Drain: Using a slotted spoon or spider, remove tempura to a wire rack set over a baking sheet or onto paper towels to drain. Do not stack pieces while hot. Keep finished tempura in a warm (not hot) oven at 200°F (95°C) for a few minutes if needed while you finish remaining batches to maintain crispness.

Serve promptly: Tempura is best eaten immediately to preserve crisp texture. Arrange shrimp and vegetables on a platter; optional lemon wedge or grated daikon on the side.

Make sauce: In a small saucepan combine 1 cup dashi (or low-sodium chicken stock), 2 tbs soy sauce and 2 tbs mirin. Warm briefly over low heat just until aromatic — do not boil off the alcohol in mirin excessively. Remove from heat and let cool slightly.

Serve with condiments: Transfer sauce to a shallow dipping bowl and, if using, spoon 1–2 tbs grated daikon into the sauce or serve grated daikon at the table so diners can mix to taste.