Tempura

Ingredients for 2 servings:

• 100 g wheat flour
• 150 ml water
• 2 tsp, heaped mayonnaise
• 2 tsp, leveled apple cider vinegar
• 100 g white fish fillet(s) (e.g. pollock, cod, pangasius)
• 4 shrimp(s)
• ½ m.-sized carrot(s)
• ¼ small eggplant(s)
• 8 green beans
• ¼ small onion(s)
• ¼ small Hokkaido pumpkin(s)
• 1 potato(s) or 1 small sweet potato
• ½ pointed pepper
• 4 shiitake mushrooms or button mushrooms
• 4 leaves (shiso leaves)
• e.g. sunflower oil for frying
• 100 ml dashi
• 25 ml soy sauce, Japanese
• 25 ml mirin
• 100 g radish(s)

Instructions

Working time approx. 20 minutes; Cooking/baking time approx. 30 minutes; Total time approx. 50 minutes

Simple dough, always works!

First of all: The tempura batter and sauce are important here. The ingredients to be fried are all optional, and the quantities can be adjusted as desired. In a small saucepan, combine the dashi broth, soy sauce, and mirin, bring to a boil briefly, then set aside. Peel and devein the shrimp. Cut the fish fillet into bite-sized pieces. Cut the vegetables into 5 mm to 1 cm thick slices, depending on their hardness. Cut the carrot into 5 mm thick sticks again. Dab any moisture from the fish and vegetable slices and the shrimp with a paper towel. Pour the oil into a small, heavy saucepan (about 2 cm deep is sufficient) and heat to 180°C. An inexpensive pyrometer is very useful for measuring the temperature. Line an oven rack with paper towels and place it next to the pan. In a bowl, combine the flour, water, mayonnaise, and vinegar. Divide the batter in half and place one half of the tempura batter into a second bowl. Dip the shrimp and fish pieces in the tempura batter in the first bowl, one at a time, and fry on both sides for about 2 minutes. Place the shrimp and fish pieces on the oven rack and allow the oil to drain well. Dip the vegetable slices in the tempura batter in the second bowl, one at a time, and fry on both sides. The oil temperature should be between 160°C and 180°C. Fry for approximately 2 to 3 minutes. Fry small amounts at a time to keep the oil temperature as constant as possible. Serve the tempura on a plate. Ladle the sauce into small bowls; it tastes best served hot with some finely grated radish. Serve with Japanese rice.