Print Recipe

Easy Japanese Tempura

1 Star2 Stars3 Stars4 Stars5 Stars (No Ratings Yet)
Loading...
Dinner, Main Course, Appetizer – Japanese
By Kelly Djalali – Serves: 4-6
Prep Time: 40 Minutes – Cooking Time: 15-20 Minutes – Total Time: ~1 Hour

Light and crispy Japanese Tempura vegetables with a Dashi Tempura dipping sauce is and easy restaurant-worthy Sunday Supper.

Ingredients

  • Dashi Broth
  • 2 cups water
  • 1 2-inch square piece of Dried Kombu Kelp
  • 1/2 cup Dried Bonito Flakes, packed
  • Dipping Sauce
  • 1 cup Dashi Broth
  • 1/4 cup Mirin
  • 1/4 cup Soy Sauce
  • 1/2 tbsp. Sugar
  • Vegetable Tempura
  • 1 Bunch Asparagus, woody stems removed
  • 1 large Sweet Potato, peeled and sliced 3/16-inch thick
  • 1 White Onion, sliced into 1/2-inch thick rounds
  • 1 Bunch Green Beans, ends trimmed
  • Other veggies to consider: broccoli, eggplant, carrots, mushrooms
  • Tempura Batter
  • 1 cup Cake or All Purpose Flour
  • 1 Large Egg
  • 1 cup Water
  • Ice cubes, for chilling the water
  • 6 cups Peanut or Vegetable Oil, for frying

Instructions

Dashi Broth

1

In a small saucepan, combine the water the piece of Kombu. Bring to a boil, reduce heat and let simmer for 7 minutes.

2

Off heat, add the dried Bonito flakes and let steep for 15 minutes.

3

Strain the broth and discard the Kombu and the Bonito flakes. Set the broth aside.

Dipping Sauce

4

In a small saucepan over medium heat, bring the dashi, along with mirin, soy sauce and sugar to a boil and then turn off the heat. Set this sauce aside until ready to serve the tempura.

Fry Station Set Up

5

After the dipping sauce is made and the veggies prepped, set up your fry station with a paper towel-lined sheet tray and a separate sheet tray with a wire rack placed inside. Turn the oven to 200 degrees to keep the sweet potato tempura warm and crisp.

6

Pour the 6 cups of oil into a large Dutch oven and set up a candy thermometer to monitor oil temperature. Turn burner to high and heat oil. When oil reaches 380 degrees, reduce the burner to medium-high and make the batter.

Tempura Batter

7

Sift the flour into a bowl. Lightly whisk the egg just until the white and yolk are incorporated. Strain the ice water into the egg and lightly whisk together.

8

Add the egg and water mixture to the flour and very lightly whisk together to make a lumpy batter. The lumps will fry into light and crispy clumps on the veggies.

Fry the Veggie Tempura

9

Start with the sweet potatoes; add the sweet potato slices to the batter and toss to coat. Then carefully add the battered sweet potato slices one at a time until half the batch is frying. Fry until the batter is puffy and the veggies float to the top, they will only be lightly golden. About 3-4 minutes.

10

Use a spider skimmer to transfer fried veggies to the paper towel-lined sheet tray and sprinkle with Kosher salt. Repeat with the rest of the sweet potatoes. Transfer the sweet potato tempura to the wire rack sheet tray and place in the oven.

11

Check the oil temp. We want to maintain a temp of 380-400 degrees.

12

Repeat the batter and fry process with the rest of the veggies, sprinkling Kosher salt on the veggie tempura when they come out of the oil.

13

When all the veggies are fried, combine all the veggies with the sweet potato tempura on a large tray or serving dish.

14

Portion the dipping sauce into individual cups or pinch bowls.

15

Portion rice or noodles in a wide shallow dish, let everyone serve themselves the tempura vegetables.