Ebi to yasai no nanbanzubitashi / prawns and vegetables in spicy soy sauce vinegar marinade

Pick colorful vegetables in season.

<Ingredients>

4-6 prawns
Handful assorted vegetables (eggplant, green beans, kabocha pumpkin, ancho pepper, and small tomatoes in photo)
Potato starch (not in photo)
Oil (not in photo)

For marinade
200 cc dashi
2 tbsp rice vinegar
2 tbsp soy sauce
2 tbsp mirin
1 tsp sugar
1 red chili pepper (sliced)


<Directions>
1.

Core tomatoes and thinly cut skin crisscross.
Cut other vegetables into a size matching prawns.

Shell and devein prawns. If using frozen prawns, thaw, rub potato starch, and rinse.

2.

Mix all ingredients for marinade, and bring to boil.
Turn off heat.

3.

Deep-fry prawns and vegetables other than tomatoes. Heat oil. When bubbles come up from the tips of chopsticks, oil is ready.

Wipe off water from vegetable surface to prevent oil from spattering, and quickly put in oil.

When almost done, raise heat slightly, and hold pieces to be removed with one end still immersed in oil. This draws out oil in vegetables and returns it to oil in pot.

Lift from oil, lightly shake, and place in a drain pan lined with paper towel.

Towel dry prawns, and coat with potato starch. Shake off excess potato starch, and deep-fry.

When removing from oil, repeat the same process as with vegetables.

4.

Put vegetables and prawns in marinade while everything is still hot.

5.

Blanch and skin tomatoes. Bring water to boil, put tomatoes, remove from water after 30 seconds, put in ice water, and peel.

6.

Put tomatoes in marinade after marinade cools somewhat.

Let sit for a few hours (at least one hour) before serving.

<Notes>

• Good at room temperature. Also good chilled, especially in hot season.
• Cut tomatoes in two or four if large tomatoes are used.
• Flour is OK for coating prawns, but it would become soggy in marinade.
• Vegetables and prawns can be sauteed or grilled instead of deep-fried. 
• Nanban refers to red chili peppers. It also often implies a deep-frying method.
• When taking this on a picnic or using it as a bento item, separately put this dish in a container that seals tightly, or drain marinade before placing it with other items in the same container.