As a kid, did you have a go-to food when dining at a new restaurant? Tempura and chicken teriyaki were my safe foods when I did not understand the menu items in Japanese establishments, and up until now, I still order them every so often to satiate my childhood cravings.
Although they come at a close second, my favorite part of tempura is not the succulent prawn nor the sweet crab stick. The little fried pieces of leftover batter are what always coax me to choose it as my main course. Since the batter is the most crucial element of the dish, I made sure that the recipe I made embodies all the reasons why it is my favorite part of tempura. If you have noticed, unlike other tempura recipes that call for cold water, I used carbonated water and vodka. These make the batter stay extra crunchy for a longer period of time. I also left the egg out since this tends to make the coating soggier.
I also used black tiger prawns, my most trusted brand of crab sticks and my preferred selection of vegetables to make this extra special. You can easily substitute the protein, vegetables and mushrooms to coincide with what you and your guests personally enjoy. Serve a platter of assorted tempura to your next family lunch or dinner, so everyone can choose their favorites from the variety.
Recipe
Yields 10-12 servings
~ Ingredients ~
Assorted Tempura
600 grams prawns, peeled and deveined
1 medium eggplant, sliced
1 cup or 100 grams of enoki mushrooms, divided into 4-6 portions
5 okras
5 imitation crab sticks
1 ½ cup or 200 grams all-purpose flour
1 cup or 120 grams potato starch
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 cup or 240 mL carbonated water
½ cup or 120 mL vodka or water
½ cup ice cubes
Oil for frying
Tempura Sauce
1 cup water
1 teaspoon dashi powder
¼ cup or 60 mL soy sauce
¼ cup or 60 mL mirin
~ Procedure ~
Assorted Tempura
In a deep frying pan, heat some oil until it has reached 350℉.
Make the tempura batter by mixing all-purpose flour, potato starch, baking powder, carbonated water, vodka or water and ice cubes.
Dip the shrimp in the batter and fry for 3-5 minutes each.
Repeat the steps until all the shrimp, crab sticks and vegetables are finished.
Use a spider to retrieve the tempura from the oil and lay them on a wire rack or plate covered in tissue paper.
Serve with rice and enjoy!
Tempura Sauce
Add all the ingredients in a small saucepan on medium heat.
Bring the sauce to a simmer. This took around 3-5 minutes.
Once done, transfer the sauce into another container.
Serve alongside the assorted tempura and enjoy!
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