Assorted Japanese Tempura
Quick answer
Tempura moriawase is an assorted platter of Japanese tempura featuring shrimp, sweet potato, eggplant, and shishito peppers, each coated in a light, shatteringly crisp batter.
What makes this special
- Japanese Tempura Moriawase uses a cold water batter to create a feather-light and crisp coating.
- Ice water batter with visible lumps minimizes gluten for a feather-light crust
- Short fry at 170 to 180°C lets each ingredient's natural flavor show through
Key ingredients
Core cooking flow
- 1 Devein the 8 shrimp, then make shallow cuts along the belly side so they fry straighter.
- 2 Pat the shishito peppers and all prepared ingredients very dry with paper towels.
- 3 Mix 100 ml dashi stock with 3 tablespoons soy sauce and 3 tablespoons mirin to make the tentsuyu.
Tempura moriawase is an assorted platter of Japanese tempura featuring shrimp, sweet potato, eggplant, and shishito peppers, each coated in a light, shatteringly crisp batter. The batter is the heart of the technique: egg and ice-cold water are combined with cake flour and stirred only a few times with chopsticks, leaving visible lumps. This minimal mixing prevents gluten development, which is what keeps the coating featherlight rather than dense. Each piece is fried at 170 to 180 degrees Celsius for a short time-long enough to cook the interior while the batter puffs into an airy, lacy crust. Patting ingredients dry before dipping ensures the batter adheres properly. The tentsuyu dipping sauce, made from dashi, soy sauce, and mirin, is served with freshly grated daikon radish, whose mild sharpness cuts through the oil and refreshes the palate between bites. Tempura moriawase is meant to be eaten immediately after frying, when the contrast between the crackling exterior and the just-cooked filling is at its peak.
Instructions
Read the steps as a cooking flow: prep, heat, seasoning, doneness control, and finish.
- 1Heat
Devein the 8 shrimp, then make shallow cuts along the belly side so they fry straighter.
Slice the sweet potato and eggplant into pieces that are not too thick, so the centers cook before the batter darkens.
- 2Prep
Pat the shishito peppers and all prepared ingredients very dry with paper towels.
If the surfaces stay wet, the batter will slide off, and the oil may splatter more when the pieces go in.
- 3Season
Mix 100 ml dashi stock with 3 tablespoons soy sauce and 3 tablespoons mirin to make the tentsuyu.
Grate 50 g daikon and keep it separate, so it can be added fresh at serving time.
- 4Heat
Beat 1 egg with 150 ml very cold water, then add 100 g cake flour.
Stir only 8 to 10 times with chopsticks, leaving visible lumps, because smooth batter can turn tough after frying.
- 5Heat
Heat 500 ml frying oil to 170 to 180 degrees Celsius.
Lightly dip each piece in batter, add only a few pieces at a time, and fry for about 1 to 3 minutes until the coating looks pale and crisp.
- 6Finish
Transfer the fried pieces to a rack or paper towels and let excess oil drain briefly.
Serve while the crust still feels crisp, with the tentsuyu and grated daikon on the side for dipping.
After the steps
Pick a recipe that fits this dish.
Continue with shared ingredients, meal pairings, or a similar method.
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