Tempura Cod and Vegetables

This is one of the few meals that I fry in oil. I use a clear oil, canola oil, and added a tiny bit of toasted sesame oil. I test the oil to see if it is hot enough by dropping in a bit of the tempura batter. It sizzled and floated to the top. To protect my hands, while cooking, I use long metal tongs and oven mitts that cover my entire hands and wrists.

Ingredients

Alaskan cod, cut in strips, 3 strips per serving

Canola oil, 2 cups

Toasted sesame oil, 1 teaspoon

Flour, 1 cup

Egg, 1 large

Cold water, enough to fill a cup, with egg added

Sweet potato, ¼, sliced

Asparagus, 6 stalks

Carrots, 8 sticks

Soy sauce, ¼ cup

Paper towel, 6 pieces

Preparation

Pour the oils into a large fry pan, with at least 4-inch sides. Heat the oil, on a medium temperature. Prepare the cod, rinse, pat dry and cut. Set aside. Slice the sweet potato, leaving the skin on. Rinse and remove woody ends of asparagus. Blot thoroughly. Cut carrots into 5-inch sticks, at least 1 inch thick.

Tempura batter is made with a 1:1 formula. Break egg and put in a one-cup measuring cup. Use the coldest water possible and fill measuring cup to one cup of liquid. Measure one cup of flour. This is referenced as 1:1, one cup liquid to one cup of solids. Place all in medium bowl and beat. I use a small wire whisk; you could use chopsticks. Beat just enough, leaving some small lumps of flour. Test the temperature of the oil by dropping in a tiny bit of batter. If it sizzles, goes to the bottom of the pan and then rises to float, your oil is ready.

The carrots take 2 minutes of cooking time. Place carrots in the batter bowl and coat thoroughly. Use small tongs to turn over in the batter. Pick up one at a time and place in the hot oil, taking care not to drop in and splatter the oil. Place in enough of each ingredient to cover just half of the surface of the oil.

This allows the oil to stay hot. Using long metal tongs and wearing oven mitts, turn over carrots to evenly cook on both sides. Remove to drain on paper towel. Repeat until all carrots cooked. Repeat process with sweet potatoes; these require only one minute of cooking time. Asparagus requires just one minute of cooking time. When all the vegetables are cooked, begin the cod. Cod takes 2 minutes total cooking time. Serve with condiments of your choice. I used soy sauce as a dip.