Tempura
Most of us don’t eat very much fried food any more, but Japanese tempura is so light yet crunchy, not at all oily or heavy that an occasional indulgence is hard to resist. The batter is so thin that the pink shrimp, orange of the carrots and the deep purple of the eggplant peek right through. It’s not a very convivial dish because you can only make one serving at a time and once cooked, it must be eaten immediately. But if you’re lucky enough to have one of those kitchens where your guests can watch you cook, it might make an unusual and fun dinner party.

Sue Kleber

 For each serving prepare:
6 to10 (21-25 size) shrimp, shelled and cleaned, tails left on or a 6 to 8 oz fillet of firm fleshed fish, such as cod, cut into 1” by 3 “ pieces, half an inch thick
5 cremini mushrooms, halved
1 thick slice of white onion, separated into rings
3-4 1/4 inch slices of unpeeled zucchini, cut on a diagonal
3-4 thin slices of carrot, cut with a zigzag vegetable knife, if available
2-3 pieces of eggplant, partially peeled and cut into 1” by 3” pieces, half an inch thick
2 scallions, white part and about 3 inches of green

Tempura Batter
(Makes enough for two generous servings)

1 cup all-purpose flour 3/4 tsp. salt
1/3 cup corn starch 3/4 tsp. Old Bay seasoning (optional)
3/4 tsp. baking powder 1 12 oz. bottle of beer

Mix dry ingredients together in a bowl. Pour in half of the beer and stir until just smooth. Add rest of the beer and let rest for 15 minutes.

In a wok, add enough corn or vegetable oil to obtain a depth of 2 to 3 inches. Or add 5 cups of oil to a three quart saucepan. Never fill the saucepan over one third full as the vegetables will bubble up when added to the hot oil. Heat to 375 degrees. A candy/deep frying thermometer is very handy here. Working in batches, dip the denser vegetables into the batter and then put into the oil. Don’t expect the food to turn brown, it is done when the batter is still a very light gold. After 2-3 minutes, remove and place on paper towels. Follow with the lighter vegetables and finally do the shrimp and the scallions last. Arrange all on a paper napkin lined plate, drape the scallions in a x over all and serve with a dipping sauce.

Dipping Sauce

Experiment with the ingredients to your taste, but try starting with:
(Per serving)
1 TB soy sauce
1 TB mirin
1 TB unseasoned rice vinegar
1/4 tsp. sambal oelek or other chili paste
1/4 tsp. grated ginger
Garnish with a few scallion slices or a few cilantro leaves.
Courtesy of:
Real Estate & Living
www.comocorealestate.com