Shrimp Tempura

By Christy Rost

Ingredients:

1		cup flour
2		tablespoons cornstarch
¼		teaspoon baking powder
¼		teaspoon salt
1		cup ice water
1		slightly beaten egg
1 ½		pounds large raw shrimp, tail on
1		zucchini squash
1		onion, sliced
2		large green bell peppers
1		large red bell pepper
1		large yellow bell pepper
2		portabellini or shitake mushrooms, sliced
		vegetable oil for frying
3		cups cooked rice

Rinse and devein shrimp, leaving tail on; set aside on paper towels to dry. Rinse vegetables and dry thoroughly on paper towels. Slice vegetables and arrange decoratively on a large platter, cover, and refrigerate until ready to cook.

Just before cooking, prepare tempura batter. In a medium bowl, stir together flour, cornstarch, baking powder and salt. Add ice water and the beaten egg; stir just until mixed. Batter will be lumpy. Place bowl inside a large bowl filled with ice to keep tempura batter chilled.

Heat a wok over medium heat, or an electric skillet to 350 degrees; add oil to a depth of several inches. Dip vegetables into batter (chopsticks make this easy! ) and drop carefully into hot oil. Cook vegetables several minutes until batter begins to brown lightly, turning once. Remove vegetables with a slotted spoon and drain on paper towels; then serve with hot, cooked rice. Repeat process with shrimp, serving immediately.

Serve tempura with soy sauce and plum sauce for dipping.

Recipe serves 4.