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Of all batter‐fried foods, tempura is the lightest and easiest to make. Serve immediately; like many fried foods, it's best eaten standing up, around the stove. But it will hold in a low oven for a few minutes. You'll note from the variations that Japan is not the only country to serve batter‐fried vegetables as a light dish.

Ingredients

• Vegetable oil for deep‐frying
• 1/4 cup soy sauce
• 1/4 cup water
• 1 tablespoon peeled and minced fresh ginger
• 1 teaspoon minced garlic
• 1 teaspoon rice or other vinegar
• 1 1/2 to 2 pounds assorted vegetables: broccoli, zucchini, eggplant, winter squash, mushrooms, bell pepper, string beans, etc.
• 1 egg yolk
• 1 1/2 cups ice water
• 2 cups all‐purpose flour
• 1/2 pound shrimp, peeled and sliced in half the long way (optional)

Preparation

Put enough oil to come to a depth of at least 3 to 4 inches in a large, deep saucepan. The broader the saucepan, the more of these you can cook at once, but the more oil you will use. Turn the heat to medium‐high; you want the temperature to be at about 375°F when you start cooking. Combine the next five ingredients and set aside as dipping sauce.

Prepare the vegetables: Peel the broccoli and break it into florets; wash the zucchini and/or eggplant and slice it thin; peel and seed the winter squash and slice it thin; clean the mushrooms, then cut them into quarters if they're large; stem and seed the pepper and cut it into strips; trim and wash the string beans; and so on. Dry all vegetables well.

Combine the egg yolk and ice water in another bowl and beat well. Mix in 1 cup of the flour, just until blended. Don't worry about a few remaining lumps.

One piece at a time, dredge the vegetables and shrimp (if you are using) in the remaining flour, then dip in the batter. Fry each piece until golden, turning once if necessary, less than 5 minutes total. Drain on paper towels and serve immediately, with the dipping sauce.

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Source: How to Cook Everything