How to Make Tempura

Prepare the vegetables: slice the Japanese eggplant into pieces with incisions that fan them out. Separate the broccoli into small florets. Trim the tough ends off the asparagus and peel the base, then slice the rest diagonally. Slice the onion.

In a bowl, lightly whisk the egg and mix it with the ice-cold water, stirring well.

In another bowl, sift and mix the dry ingredients: the all-purpose flour and the baking powder.

Add the liquid mixture (water and egg) to the dry ingredients in three parts, sifting and mixing gently between each addition. Do not overmix; the batter should still have some lumps.

Dredge each prepared vegetable in plain all-purpose flour and carefully shake off the excess.

Heat the neutral oil in a pot. Test the temperature by dipping a small piece of vegetable: if it rises quickly making a characteristic frying sound ('sizzle'), the oil is ready.

Dip the floured vegetables into the batter and then carefully place them into the hot oil. Fry until they develop a very crispy coating.

Remove the fried tempura and finish by sprinkling a little salt over the top.