Kakiage Tempura Recipe

1. Cut the vegetables into thin strips, about 2 inches each, and all of the same size. Cut the seafood, whether cuttlefish or shrimp or tuna, into the same size strips.
2. Beat an egg in a large bowl.
3. Add ice water in the bowl. Add sifted flour in the bowl and mix lightly.
4. Heat oil to 340 F in a deep pan.
5. Add onion slices, carrot strips, and scallops in the tempura batter, and mix together.
6. Take a scoop of the mixture with a large spoon and slip into the oil.

1. Shape the piece, using chopsticks or a cooking tong until firm.
2. Deep-fry until browned on both sides.
3. Drain and serve with tempura dipping sauce.

Cooking Tips

• The difference between good and bad tempura lies in the batter itself. You don’t want to have a soggy oily tempura that leaves you with a greasy taste in your mouth. You want the tempura to be light and crispy, having a good crunchy sound on the first bite and keeping you wanting more. Here's how:
• Always mix the tempura batter with chopsticks or a spoon, never a whisk. Overmixing the batter can make it heavy.
• Only use icy-cold water for the tempura batter to make it stick together better and absorb less oil.
• The oil must be hot before you drop in the batter. Test it first with just a bit of the batter. If the batter floats to the surface with a slight frying sound, the oil is ready.
• The vegetables and the seafood should be cut to the same size to create a consistent texture.
• If you keep the tempura to a smaller size, you'll get a better crunch, and the inside will be fully cooked.
• Drain all the excess oil after frying the tempuras. You don’t want to have oily tempuras.
• Tempura is best when eaten fresh. If you make it before-hand, or if you have some left over, you can heat it again by dipping it in the hot oil for just 30 seconds to make it crispy again.