Restaurant Style Tempura Platter

Ingredients

• 120g rice flour
• 1 1/2 g baking powder (about 1/4 tsp)
• pinch of salt
• 105 mL ice-cold water
• 43 g egg whites
• 7 large shrimp, peeled, deveined and straightened
• zucchini, sliced 1/4 inch thick
• eggplant, sliced 1/4 inch thick
• shiitake mushrooms, whole
• 1 Japanese yam or sweet potato, sliced 1/4 inch thick
• vegetable oil, for frying
• green onions, sliced into slants for garnish

Instructions

1. Add the oil to a large wok for deep frying and start to preheat.
2. Prepare all the vegetables or seafood beforehand prior to making the tempura batter. Refrigerate until ready to fry.
3. In a bowl measure the egg whites and ice cold water. Mix well. In a separate bowl, mix rice flour, baking powder, and salt.
4. Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet mixture, stirring gently until just combined. The batter should be slightly lumpy; do not over-mix. This is the recommended method. Alternatively, it is also possible to mix the wet mixture with the dry ingredients, although this will likely result in a much smoother texture in the batter which is undesirable for tempura.
5. Maintain the oil temperature between 170°C to 180°C (340°F to 360°F) for optimal frying.
6. Fry in small batches to avoid lowering the oil temperature too much and to ensure even cooking.
7. Serve the tempura immediately while it’s hot and crispy.