Add a few pieces of cut-up vegetables to this mixture, and you can have a full meal of tempura. There are a few unusual procedures in making tempura batter, which results in a thin, lacy coating that is exceptionally light and crisp. Like most fried food, tempura is best served as soon as possible, but it will hold for a few minutes in a low oven.
Heat in a deep-fat fryer or deep, heavy pot over medium-high heat to 365┬░F:
Vegetable oil (3 inches deep)
Prepare for deep-frying:
1 1/2 to 2 pounds shellfish
Be sure to dry the pieces well. Prepare the batter just before frying. Place in a bowl:
Scant 2 cups ice water
Sift over it:
2 cups self-rising cake flour (low-gluten, with baking soda and salt added)
Stir to mix slightly; there should be lumps in the batter. Test the oil: a few drops of batter should sink slightly, rise and puff quickly, but not color immediately. Dip the shellfish 1 piece at a time in the batter and gently lay them in the oil. Do not crowd; you can cook in batches if necessary. Keep the heat high in order to maintain a fairly consistent temperature. Let them fry, undisturbed, for about 1 minute. Turn and fry for another minute. When done, the shellfish will be opaque and the batter crisp but barely colored. Remove to a rack or paper bags or paper towels to drain. If pieces of batter separate and float to the top of the cooking oil, strain them out with a mesh strainer. Keep warm, if necessary, in a low oven. Serve with:
