Shrimp and Vegetable Tempura
- Level: Intermediate
- Yield: 4 servings (as a main dish)
-
- Nutritional Analysis
- Per Serving
- Serving Size
- 1 of 4 servings
- Calories
- 976
- Total Fat
- 78
- Saturated Fat
- 14
- Carbohydrates
- 58
- Dietary Fiber
- 7
- Sugar
- 10
- Protein
- 11
- Cholesterol
- 47
- Sodium
- 8510
- Total: 1 hr 10 min (includes chilling time)
- Active: 40 min
Ingredients
Dipping Sauce (Tentsuyu):
1 cup Dashi, recipe follows (or 1 teaspoon instant dashi powder, such as Ajinomoto’s Hondashi, dissolved in 1 cup water)
1/4 cup mirin
1/4 cup soy sauce
1/2 cup grated daikon radish, or to taste, lightly squeezed to remove excess liquid
Shrimp and Vegetables (see Cook's Note):
1 pound peeled and deveined large shrimp (see Cook’s Note), rinsed in cold water and thoroughly dried
16 green beans, trimmed
8 shiitake or button mushrooms, stems trimmed
8 shishito peppers, each slit about 1 inch (so they don't burst in the oil)
1 medium sweet potato, peeled and cut into slices about 1/3 inch thick
1 small onion, peeled and cut into slices about 1/3 inch thick
Vegetable or peanut oil, for frying
Batter:
1 cup cake flour
1/4 cup potato starch or cornstarch
1 cup ice-cold water, plus more if needed
1 large egg
3 ice cubes
Dashi:
One 4-inch-square kombu (dried kelp; about 10 grams)
3/4 packed cup katsuobushi (dried bonito flakes; about 15 grams)
Directions
- Refrigerate a large bowl until chilled, about 15 minutes.
- For the dipping sauce (tentsuyu): Bring the Dashi, mirin and soy sauce to a boil in a small saucepan. Set aside until ready to serve, then divide among 4 small bowls. Place the grated daikon in a small dish.
- For the shrimp and vegetables: Assemble the chilled shrimp, green beans, mushrooms, shishitos, sweet potatoes and onions on 2 large plates.
- Heat about 2 inches of oil in a large wok or deep, heavy-bottomed skillet over medium-high heat until it reaches 360 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with a double layer of paper towels or a wire rack and place near the wok.
- For the batter: When the oil is almost ready, sift the cake flour and potato starch into the chilled bowl. Whisk the water and egg in a small bowl (or in the water measuring cup) until completely combined. Using chopsticks or a large fork, stir the egg mixture into the flour mixture until barely combined and lumps of flour still remain. (Better to undermix than overmix, so err on the side of caution.) The batter should be the thickness of cream; add 1 to 2 tablespoons more water if needed. Mix in the ice cubes.
- Working with several pieces of the shrimp and vegetables at a time, dip them into the batter, then gently lay them in the oil away from you. (It’s important not to overcrowd and to maintain the temperature of the oil; adjust the heat, as needed.) Fry, flipping them once or twice, until pale golden brown and crisp, 1 to 2 minutes (some ingredients may take longer than others); transfer to the lined baking sheet. Serve the tempura immediately (ideally, one person will continue frying while the lucky others get to eat the tempura at its best!) with the bowls of dipping sauce and grated daikon on the side for people to stir into the sauce, if they like. Continue with the remaining ingredients, skimming the surface of the oil as needed.
Dashi:
- Combine the kombu and 3 cups cold water in a medium saucepan and let sit for about 30 minutes. (You can skip this step if you’re short on time, but it does lend a little extra flavor.)
- Heat the mixture over medium heat until the water comes to a near boil but doesn’t actually boil, about 5 minutes. Discard the kombu.
- Add the katsuobushi evenly over the water and bring to a boil over high heat, then immediately remove from the heat. Let steep for about 10 minutes without stirring.
- Pour the dashi through a fine-mesh strainer into a bowl or quart measuring cup. Do not press down on the katsuobushi, which can make the dashi cloudy or bitter.
- Dashi is best used the day it is made, but it can be cooled and refrigerated in an airtight container for up to 3 days.
Cook’s Note
Make sure the shrimp and vegetables are thoroughly chilled before coating and frying them. If you prefer your fried shrimp to be straight rather than curled, you have 2 options: skewer them, or make 3 to 4 shallow slits crosswise along the curled side, then place the shrimp on a cutting board curled-side down and lightly press down on each one, working your way along the entire length.