Mixed Tempura
Crispy, golden, and utterly irresistible, this Mixed Tempura recipe brings the quintessential Japanese culinary art of frying to your kitchen. Featuring a delightful medley of succulent shrimp, tender sweet potato, zucchini, carrots, and shiitake mushrooms, each piece is coated in a light, airy batter made from ice-cold water and simple ingredients like flour and cornstarch. The secret to achieving tempura perfection lies in creating a lumpy batter and maintaining the ideal frying temperature for a flawless crunch. Paired with a savory homemade dipping sauce of soy sauce, mirin, and dashi, and optionally garnished with grated daikon radish, this dish makes an elegant appetizer or main course. Ready in under 40 minutes, this easy yet impressive recipe is perfect for both weeknight dinners and special occasions. Serve fresh and hot for an authentic Japanese dining experience!
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Recipe Information
Ingredients
- 12 pieces shrimp (peeled and deveined)
- 1 medium carrot
- 1 small sweet potato
- 1 small zucchini
- 6 pieces shiitake mushrooms (stems removed)
- 1 large egg
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 1 cup ice-cold water
- 2 tablespoons cornstarch
- 0.5 teaspoon baking soda
- 4 cups vegetable oil (for frying)
- 0.25 cup soy sauce
- 0.25 cup mirin (sweet rice wine)
- 0.25 cup dashi stock
- 2 tablespoons grated daikon radish (optional, for dipping sauce)
Instructions
Prepare the vegetables: Peel the carrot and sweet potato. Slice the carrot, sweet potato, and zucchini into thin, uniform pieces (approximately 1/4 inch thick). If the sweet potato slices are large, cut them into smaller bite-sized pieces.
Pat the shrimp dry with paper towels. Make small cuts along the underside of each shrimp to prevent them from curling up during frying.
Heat the vegetable oil in a large, deep pot or deep fryer to 350°F (175°C). Use a thermometer to monitor the temperature for best results.
In a large bowl, prepare the tempura batter by lightly beating the egg. Add the ice-cold water and mix gently. Gradually sift in the all-purpose flour, cornstarch, and baking soda, stirring just enough to combine. Do not overmix; the batter should have lumps for a light and airy texture.
Dust the prepared vegetables and shrimp lightly with flour to help the batter adhere.
Working in batches, dip the vegetables and shrimp into the batter, ensuring they are evenly coated. Gently lower them into the hot oil. Fry until golden and crispy, about 2-3 minutes for shrimp and 3-4 minutes for vegetables. Avoid overcrowding the pot to maintain the oil's temperature.
Remove the fried items with a slotted spoon and transfer them to a wire rack or plate lined with paper towels to drain excess oil.
To make the dipping sauce, combine soy sauce, mirin, and dashi stock in a small saucepan. Heat briefly over low heat until warmed. Serve with grated daikon radish on the side if desired.
Serve the tempura immediately while hot and crispy with the dipping sauce on the side.
Nutrition Facts
Calories |
2309 | ||
|---|---|---|---|
% Daily Value* |
|||
| Total Fat | 239.5 g | 307% | |
| Saturated Fat | 34.4 g | 172% | |
| Polyunsaturated Fat | 0.0 g | ||
| Cholesterol | 134 mg | 45% | |
| Sodium | 911 mg | 40% | |
| Total Carbohydrate | 44.0 g | 16% | |
| Dietary Fiber | 3.2 g | 12% | |
| Total Sugars | 9.7 g | ||
| Protein | 18.8 g | 38% | |
| Vitamin D | 3.0 mcg | 15% | |
| Calcium | 52 mg | 4% | |
| Iron | 2.1 mg | 12% | |
| Potassium | 519 mg | 11% | |
*The % Daily Value tells you how much a nutrient in a serving of food contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
