The key to good tempura is fresh ingredients, lumpy batter and a
constant oil temperature. Make the batter just before deep frying and do not over-mix it.

1 cups of sifted flour
1 egg yolk
1 cup of ice water
Oil for deep frying, 1 cup of flour, soy sauce for dipping


Assortment of fresh vegetables & seafood - choose several or try them all!

green beans - ends trimmed leave whole (my favorite - must try! very good!)

carrots - sliced diagonally about 1/4" thick

sweet potato - peeled, sliced about 1/4" thick

zucchini - sliced about 1/4" thick

white button mushrooms caps - halve if caps are large

onion - sliced in half lengthwise then slice 1/4" thick
(run a toothpick through the layers to hold half rings together.)

Seafood

shrimp - shell and de-vein but leave tails attached (lay shrimp flat and
slightly make 3-4 scores across the belly to prevent it from curling when frying)

white fresh fish fillet - remove any bones, cut fillets crosswise into bite-sized pieces

squid - cut squid into 1 1/2" squares then cross-score the outer, smooth side.

Prepare vegetables and fish and thoroughly dry with paper towel. Heat
oil in a thick pot or deep fryer 350 degrees. In a mixing bowl, lightly beat
egg yolk and pour in ice water, slightly mix. Add the flour all at once, stroke
a few times with a fork, just till ingredients are loosely combined. The batter
should be lumpy not smooth. If you over-mix till smooth the coating will
become heavy and turn out oily.


Place 1 cup of flour on a plate, dip vegetables in the flour, shake off excess.
Then dip in batter and lay in the hot oil and deep fry till golden brown and place
on a plate with paper towels to allow excess oil to drain off. Skim the surface
of the oil occasionally to keep it clean. After frying vegetables, do the same with
the seafood. Serve with soy sauce for dipping


submitted by shirley


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