Authentic Kakiage (Mixed Vegetable Tempura)

Method12 steps

1. 1

   Step 1: Mix the 150 g batter flour and 30 g cornstarch in a dry bowl and put it in the freezer for 30 minutes. Refrigerate the measured 150 ml water and 100 ml carbonated water at the same time, so all the batter ingredients are thoroughly cold. Prepare the vegetables while they chill.

   Chill batter ingredients · 30 minUses 150 g unbleached cake flour, for batter · 30 g cornstarch (chilled) · 150 ml water (chilled) · 100 ml carbonated water (chilled)

2. 2

   Step 2: Thinly slice the half onion, cut the half carrot into thin matchsticks and halve the five green beans lengthways. Cut the six ready boiled shrimp into 1 cm pieces. Pat everything dry with kitchen paper, place it in a bowl and toss with the separate 1 tbsp coating flour until evenly coated. Keep the prepared shrimp and vegetables chilled until mixing the batter.

   Uses ½ yellow onions (thinly sliced) · ½ carrot (julienned (matchsticks)) · 6 ready boiled shrimp, cut into 1 cm pieces · 5 green beans (halved lengthways) · 1 tbsp unbleached cake flour, for coating

   
3. 3

   Step 3: Heat enough cooking oil for deep frying in a small pan to 180 °C (356 °F); fry one kakiage at a time. While the oil heats, crack the egg (1) into a separate bowl and gently whisk in the chilled 150 ml water and 100 ml carbonated water from step 1.

   Uses cooking oil (for deep frying) · 1 egg · 150 ml chilled water · 100 ml chilled carbonated water

   
4. 4

   Step 4: If the egg-and-water mixture from step 3 is foamy, skim off the bubbles with a spoon or fine sieve.

   Uses egg-and-water mixture

   
5. 5

   Step 5: Sift the chilled flour-and-cornstarch mixture from step 1 into the skimmed egg mixture from step 4 in three additions. Draw crosses through the batter with chopsticks after each addition, mixing gently. Use all the dry mixture; a few small lumps are fine.

   Uses chilled flour and cornstarch · skimmed egg-and-water mixture

   
6. 6

   Step 6: Add the three ice cubes to the batter from step 5 to keep it cold.

   Uses lightly mixed tempura batter · 3 ice cubes

   
7. 7

   Step 7: Pour the cold batter from step 6 into the bowl of flour-coated vegetables and boiled shrimp from step 2. Mix gently until evenly coated.

   Uses cold tempura batter with ice · flour-coated vegetables and boiled shrimp

   
8. 8

   Step 8: Check that the frying oil from step 3 is at 180 °C (356 °F). Lift one ladleful of the mixture from step 7, concentrating on the vegetables and shrimp rather than excess loose batter. Carefully slide it into the oil as one thin, loosely shaped kakiage. Keep the remaining mixture cold between batches.

   Uses hot deep-frying oil · one ladleful of battered vegetables and boiled shrimp

   
9. 9

   Step 9: Fry the first side for about 1 minute 30 seconds, maintaining the oil around 180 °C (356 °F). Check that the underside has set before turning in step 10.

   Fry first side · 2 minUses first kakiage frying in the oil

   
10. 10

    Step 10: Turn the kakiage carefully and fry the second side for about 1 minute 30 seconds, until both sides are golden and crisp and the batter is cooked through. Continue if needed; keep the oil around 180 °C (356 °F).

    Fry second side · 2 minUses kakiage and hot oil after first-side frying

11. 11

    Step 11: Lift the cooked kakiage from step 10 onto a wire rack to drain excess oil. Fry the remaining mixture from step 7 one kakiage at a time, repeating steps 8–10 with a separate 1 minute 30 second reminder for each side. Let the oil return to 180 °C (356 °F) between pieces. Stop when the ingredients are used; leave excess loose batter behind.

    Uses cooked kakiage lifted from the frying oil · remaining battered vegetables and boiled shrimp

    
12. 12

    Step 12: Serve the drained kakiage from step 11 promptly. If desired, offer sea salt or separately prepared diluted tsuyu sauce for dipping. The batch serves four; the number of individual kakiage depends on the ladle portions.

    Uses drained cooked kakiage · sea salt (optional for dipping) · Ready diluted tsuyu sauce, optional for dipping