Tempura Moriawase (天ぷら盛り合わせ) — Assorted Shrimp and Vegetable Tempura

• 8large shrimp, peeled with tails on (deveined, belly scored, and patted very dry)
• 160 gsweet potato (cut into 8 slices, each 5 mm thick)
• 160 gkabocha squash (cut into 8 slices, each 5 mm thick)
• 1Japanese eggplant (cut lengthwise into 8 wedges)
• 8fresh shiitake mushrooms (stems removed and caps wiped clean)
• 120 ggreen beans (trimmed)
• 8shiso leaves (patted completely dry)
• 180 gcake flour (chilled, with 30 g reserved for dusting)
• 30 gpotato starch
• 1large egg (cold)
• 320 mlice water
• 100 gice cubes (for keeping the batter bowl cold)
• 1.5 lneutral frying oil (rice bran, canola, or sunflower oil)
• 240 mlawase dashi (kombu and bonito stock)
• 60 mlJapanese soy sauce
• 60 mlmirin
• 4 ggranulated sugar
• 200 gdaikon (peeled and finely grated)
• 1 inchfresh ginger (peeled and finely grated)

Instructions

1. 1

   Make the tentsuyu first so it is ready when the tempura comes out of the oil. Combine the awase dashi, soy sauce, mirin, and sugar in a small saucepan, bring to a gentle simmer for 2 minutes, then keep warm off the heat.

2. 2

   Prepare the shrimp by making 3 shallow crosswise cuts along the belly side, then gently press each shrimp straight without tearing it. Pat every shrimp and vegetable dry with paper towels, because surface moisture makes the batter slide off and causes excess splattering.

3. 3

   Set a wire rack over a tray and heat the frying oil in a heavy pot to 170 C for vegetables and 180 C for shrimp. Keep the oil depth at least 6 cm so the pieces float freely and cook evenly.

4. 4

   Whisk the cold egg with the ice water just until blended, then add 150 g of the chilled cake flour and all of the potato starch. Stir with chopsticks or a fork only 10 to 12 times, leaving visible lumps, and keep the bowl nested over the ice cubes while frying.

5. 5

   Lightly dust the vegetables with the reserved 30 g cake flour, shaking off any excess before dipping. Fry the sweet potato and kabocha first for 3 to 4 minutes, then fry the eggplant, shiitake, green beans, and shiso in small batches for 1 to 2 minutes each.

6. 6

   Dust the shrimp lightly with flour, dip them into the cold batter, and lower them into 180 C oil one at a time. Fry for 90 seconds to 2 minutes, turning once, until the coating is pale golden, crisp, and the shrimp are just cooked through.

7. 7

   Drain each batch on the wire rack rather than paper towels so steam does not soften the crust. Serve immediately with individual bowls of warm tentsuyu, grated daikon, and grated ginger, arranging the shrimp and vegetables while they are still audibly crisp.