Heaven-and-Earth Tempura Cakes (Ten Chi Kaki Agé)

Ingredients for Heaven-and-Earth Tempura Cakes (Ten Chi Kaki Agé)

• 1/2 red onion, cut into thin slices through the stem end to make crescent shapes (about 40g )

• 1 tablespoon cornflour

• Scant 40g julienne-cut carrot peels (1-inch strips

• about 90g )

• Scant 80ml julienne-cut Japanese-style sweet potato or other sweet potato peels (1-inch strips

• about 70g )

• 90g chunk bitter melon, cut in half lengthwise, seeds removed, very thinly sliced, salted with 1/4 teaspoons salt, and drained, about 30g 1 tablespoon cornflour

• 2 small courgette, about 110g total weight, tops trimmed, cut in half lengthwise, and then cut on the diagonal into thin slices, about 160ml Scant 80ml julienne-cut kabocha squash peels (3/4-inch strips

• about 90g )

• 2 tablespoons finely shredded summer herbs such as fresh shiso leaves

• 4 or 5 fresh chives, cut into 1/2-inch lengths

• Several ice cubes

• 80ml cold water

• 60ml self-rising cake flour

• Vegetable oil for deep-frying

• 1 to 2 teaspoons aromatic sesame oil (optional)

• 1/4 teaspoons kosher salt

• Generous pinch of kona-zanshõ

• Generous pinch of tõgarashi

• Generous pinch of freshly ground black pepper

• Lemon or lime wedges

How to make Heaven-and-Earth Tempura Cakes (Ten Chi Kaki Agé)

Depending upon seasonal availability, choose to make either the winter pancakes or the summer pancakes: To make the winter pancakes, place the red onion in a bowl. With a pastry brush, dust the slices thoroughly with some of the cornflour. Pull gently to separate the crescent shapes, dusting again with a bit more cornflour. Add the carrot and sweet potato peels to the bowl and dust with the remaining cornflour. Toss to distribute the vegetables evenly.

To make the summer pancakes, with a pastry brush, dust the bitter melon slices thoroughly with some of the cornflour, then place them in a bowl. Dust the courgette slices and kabocha peels in a similar manner and add them to the bowl; toss to distribute evenly. Dust the shredded shiso leaves and chives with cornflour and add them to the bowl; toss again to distribute evenly.

Make the batter just before frying: Place the ice cubes in a small bowl with half of the water. Sift the cake flour over the water and stir to mix slightly; there should still be lumps. If needed, add water, a few drops at a time, until the batter is the consistency of a thin pancake batter.

Pour the vegetable oil to a depth of 1 1/2 inches into a small wok or small, deep skillet. Add the sesame oil and heat slowly. Check the temperature with an unvarnished long wooden chopstick (or a bamboo skewer). Small bubbles will form around the tip when the oil is about 177°C. Wait for about 45 seconds longer to allow the temperature to rise a bit more—to about 188°C—and then test the oil temperature with a few drops of batter. If they sink slightly, then rise to the surface and puff quickly but do not colour, the oil is ready. You may need to fry the pancakes in batches to avoid crowding them in the pan. Preheat the oven to 93°C for keeping the cooked pancakes warm.

Spoon a bit of the batter over the cornflour-dusted vegetables and toss lightly to coat the vegetables with the batter. Dip a large spoon or ladle into the hot oil. Place one-eighth of the vegetable mixture in the bowl of the oil-dipped spoon. Carefully tilt the spoon to slide the pancake into the hot oil, aiming to make a disk about 2 inches in diameter. The batter and cornflour act as "glue" to keep the vegetable slivers together. Repeat to make more pancakes, being careful not to crowd the pan.

Most important, refrain from touching the pancakes for a full 30 seconds after you place them in the oil. It will seem like an eternity, but gaman will yield the best results. If wayward bits are strewn at the edges of your pan, carefully pick them up and place them on top of the still-moist pancake batter in the centre. (Skill with long chopsticks will be well rewarded, though a long-handled fine-mesh skimmer can scoop beneath as well.) If the centre of the pancake is very dry, dip the wayward bits in some fresh batter before "gluing" them in place. When the batter in the centre of the disk seems barely moist, carefully invert the pancake.

After flipping, allow the pancakes to fry undisturbed for about 1 minute, or until crisp. Using cooking chopsticks or a skimmer, remove the pancakes from the oil and place them on a rack set over a baking sheet to drain. If frying in batches, place the baking sheet in the oven to keep the fried pancakes warm. Use the skimmer to clear the oil of batter bits between batches.

When all of the pancakes are fried, transfer them to paper towels to absorb any additional surface oil.

Descargo de responsabilidad

While every effort has been made to ensure the information is accurate and up to date, individual needs may vary and dietary requirements can differ based on personal health conditions. Always check food labels and allergen information before preparing or consuming any recipe. If you have specific health concerns, allergies, intolerances, or are following a medically prescribed diet, seek advice from your GP, pharmacist, or a registered dietitian before making significant changes to your diet or lifestyle.