Vegetable Tempura Don

Name: Vegetable Tempura Don
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 10 min
Yield: 2 to 4 servings
Cuisine: Japanese Menu
Ingredients: Soy Sauce — ½ tbsp; Sugar — ¼ tsp; Dashi Stock — 1 pinch; Water — 2 tbsp; Mixed Vegetables — To taste; Plain Flour — To taste; Cornflour — To taste; Water — To taste; Oil — For frying

This delightful kakiage tempura features a crispy, flavourful nest of julienned vegetables fried to golden-brown perfection. Served with a quick, umami-rich dashi-based dipping sauce, this easy-to-make dish offers a wonderful textural experience that is perfect as a light appetiser or a crunchy, satisfying topping for a steaming bowl of rice, bringing an authentic taste of Japanese vegetable-forward cooking right to your own kitchen.

Cuisines

Cooking Instructions

Preparation: 15 minutes
Cooking: 10 minutes

Servings: 2 to 4

Notes:

For a lighter, crispier finish, aim for a lumpy batter consistency by mixing the flour and cornflour thoroughly before adding water, and be sure to add the water only in small, gradual amounts.

Testing the oil temperature is simple: drop a small piece of vegetable into the pan; it should sink and then rise fairly straight away, indicating the oil is at the ideal heat for frying.

To maintain the best crispness, avoid overcrowding the frying pan, as this can drop the oil temperature and lead to greasier results; cook in small, manageable batches instead.

Using separate utensils for moving the vegetables into the oil versus stirring the batter prevents cross-contamination, ensuring your dipping utensils remain clean and your hands don't get messy.

If you prefer a deeper flavour for the dipping sauce, substitute the sugar with mirin, which adds a lovely, mild sweetness that complements the fish-based dashi stock beautifully.

Prepare Vegetables
Peel and wash the vegetables, then slice them into fine julienne strips, ensuring you remove the root ends to keep the individual pieces from being overly connected.

Make Dipping Sauce
Mix soy sauce, sugar (or mirin), dashi powder, and water in a small container, then warm it in the microwave for 30 seconds just before serving.

Mix Batter
Combine the plain flour and cornflour in a bowl, mix well, and then gradually add water in small bits until you achieve a thick, lumpy, but uniformly wet batter.

Fry Kakiage
Heat oil in a pan, scoop portions of the vegetable and batter mixture using chopsticks or a spoon, drop gently into the hot oil, and fry until both sides are golden brown.

Drain and Serve
Remove the kakiage from the oil, shake off any excess, place them on a rack to drain briefly, and serve hot alongside the warm dipping sauce.