Konsai to ebi no kakiage / julienned root vegetable tempura with prawns

An easy tempura with multiple ingredients -- this tasty combination of gobo, carrot and satsumaimo potato, boosted with prawns, makes a great tempura dish.

<Ingredients>

(Serves 4)

10 cm gobo burdock root (35 g in photo)
10 cm carrot (30 g in photo)
5 cm satsumaimo sweet potato
5-6 prawns

For tempura batter
6 tbsp flour
2 tbsp potato starch
1 tbsp egg (approx. 1/4 egg)
140 cc cold water
Pinch salt (not in photo)

Canola oil and sesame oil mix (for deep-frying, not in photo)

Tentsuyu dipping sauce (not in photo)
10 cm skinny or 5 cm thick daikon radish (130 g in photo)

<Directions>
1.

Sasagaiki slice or julienne gobo, and soak in water. Julienne carrot and satsumaimo.
Wash prawns with potato starch, and cut into 2cm.

2.

Grate daikon.

3.
Start to heat oil.


4.

In a bowl, put flour, potato starch and salt, and mix.

Put egg in cold water, mix well, and pour in flour bowl.

Roughly mix. Flour does not need to be completely incorporated.  The batter should be looser than pancake batter.

 Add vegetables and prawns, and mix.

5.

When oil is ready (fine bubbles come up from tips of bamboo chopsticks, or batter quickly sinks and comes to the surface; approx. 350-355 F/175-180 C), scoop vegetables and prawns with chopsticks (to drain excess batter), and gently put in oil.
If scooping with chopsticks does not work, use a ladle or spatula with holes.

When bottom side is crispy, flip, and continue cooking.  

When almost ready, raise heat somewhat, lift tempura with one end still immersed in oil to draw it back into the pot, and remove while quickly shaking off excess oil; place on plate or tray lined with paper towel.

6.

Serve with grated daikon and tentsuyu.

<Notes>

• Make sure all ingredients for batter are cold and do not mix batter too much; this ensures a light texture at the end. A glutinous texture should be avoided. Potato starch is added to help achieve this outcome.
• Adding egg to batter is optional. Egg is normally added to tempura batter, but it tends to make the overall texture heavy.
• Kabocha pumpkin is a good substitute for satsumaimo. It has the same starchiness and sweetness.
• If making tentsuyu is bothersome, simply dilute soy sauce with water. Straight soy sauce works fine, too.
• Grated daikon helps with digestion of oil. It is usually served with dipping sauce and eaten with tempura.