Tempura is one of many Japanese dishes that are well-known and a crowd favorite. I love tempura, but I am terrified to try it in restaurants outside of Japan because they tend to disappoint me. Unfortunately, the tempura I eat in the states ends up being too greasy or too soggy, so ever since I had a couple of bad experiences, I hardly ever order it. You best believe that I tested a lot of batters to make sure I got a crispy crunch with each bite without the tempura being overly greasy. I would like to say I got as close to tempura that I would be able to buy in Japan, but I will let you be the judge.
Ingredients
- 4 cups canola oil
- 3/4 cup all-purpose flour
- 1 cup potato starch, divided
- 1 large egg, cold
- 1/4 cup vodka, cold
- 3/4 cup carbonated water, cold
- 1 pound silken tofu, cut into ½- to 1-inch cubes
- 3 1/2 ounces beech mushrooms, quartered
- 1/2 pound tail-on medium shrimp, deveined
- 7 ounces delicata squash, cut into ¼-inch-thick slices
- 1/4 pound kabocha squash, cut into ¼-thick wedges
- 2 cups water
- 1/2 cup mirin
- 1/2 cup soy sauce
- 2 tablespoons bonito flakes
- 1/4 cup grated daikon radish, plus more as needed
Instruction
- In a large heavy pan, heat the oil until a deep-fry thermometer registers 350°F.
- In a medium bowl, combine the flour and ¼ cup of the potato starch. Spread the remaining potato starch on a plate.
- In a small bowl, mix the egg and vodka until well combined. Add the carbonated water and give it a quick mix. Pour into the flour-starch mixture and stir to combine. The batter should have lumps; do not overmix the batter or it will be chewy.
- Lightly coat the tofu, mushrooms, shrimp, and both squashes in the potato starch. Working in batches, dip the coated ingredients into the batter and shake off any excess before immediately frying. Carefully lower into the hot oil and deep-fry for 2 to 4 minutes, depending on the thickness of each ingredient, until pale in color (not golden brown). Using a slotted spoon or tongs, transfer to a large paper towel-lined plate and repeat with the remaining ingredients.
- In a small pot, bring the water, mirin, soy sauce, and bonito flakes to a boil over high. Reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer for 5 minutes. Strain the mixture through a fine-mesh sieve into a bowl.
- Portion the warm sauce into 4 small bowls. Mix in 1 tablespoon of the daikon radish before serving with the tempura. Add more daikon radish according to your preference.
