Japanese Tempura - cooking recipe

Ingredients

2 1/2 cups flour
2 - 2 1/2 cups water
1 teaspoon salt
1 gallon assorted fresh vegetable
1 pint fresh fish
oil (for frying)

Preparation

Wash and chop your fresh vegetables into 1/4 inch thick slices (they look prettier if you cut them at an angle.) Potatoes, cabbage, onions and carrots should be shredded, not sliced. Set aside.
Slice the fish into pieces about 1/4\" x 1\" x 2\", set aside.
Pour about 1 1/2 to 2 inches of oil into a wide pot or frying pan, heat on medium.
Meanwhile, mix flour, salt and enough water to form a thin batter. (The consistency should be between that of pancakes and crepes.).
Once the oil is warm enough, toss a handful of veggies into the batter. Fish out individual pieces (unless it's shredded, then pull out palm sized clumps) with chopsticks (or tongs) making sure they are thoroughly coated. Carefully drop into the oil. Turn after a minute or two, depending on what you are cooking, to brown both sides. They are done when a chopstick can easily pierce through to the other side.
Set aside onto a serving plate; continue to coat and fry the remaining veggies and then the fish. Serve hot with tempura sauce.