Tempura with prawns and vegetables

Good tempura is all about the contrast between the paper-thin, crispy batter and the juicy, steaming interior. You achieve the airy crust with ice-cold water, a light hand that barely touches the batter, and oil at just the right temperature. The technique originally came to Japan with Portuguese missionaries in the 16th century and has since been refined into an art. Prawns, sweet potatoes, bell peppers, and broccoli are all grateful candidates, and with a dip of dashi, soy sauce, and grated daikon on the table, you can serve restaurant quality in your own kitchen.

• Cuisine: Japanese
• Time: 35 minutes
• Servings: 4 people
• Difficulty: Medium

Instructions

1. Peel the prawns, leaving the tail on, and pat them completely dry. Cut sweet potatoes, bell peppers, and broccoli into thin, uniform pieces.
2. Make small incisions on the inside of the prawns' bellies so they stay straight and don't curl up during frying.
3. Mix the tempura batter at the last minute: lightly whisk the egg yolk and ice-cold water, sprinkle the flour over, and stir only a few times so the batter remains lumpy and cold.
4. Heat plenty of oil to about 175 degrees Celsius in a deep pot or wok.
5. Dip prawns and vegetables in the batter, let the excess drip off, and deep-fry in small batches so the oil maintains its temperature.
6. Remove the tempura as soon as it is lightly golden and crispy – it absolutely must not turn dark.
7. Let it drain on a wire rack or absorbent paper so the bottom doesn't become soft.
8. Serve immediately with a dip of dashi, soy sauce, mirin, and a small amount of grated daikon and ginger.

Tips

• Use ice-cold water and stir the batter as little as possible – it's the temperature difference that gives the lightest, crispiest crust.
• Deep-fry in several small batches so the oil doesn't cool down; oil that's too cold results in greasy and soft tempura.
• If you want a completely vegetarian version, the prawns can be omitted and replaced with slices of eggplant, mushrooms, or thin onion rings.
• Keep the batter cold throughout the frying process by placing the bowl in a larger bowl with ice water between batches.