Kaki-Age Soba

To prepare the kaki-age, heat the vegetable oil in a heavy-bottomed pan or deep fryer to 350°F and bring a pot of water to a boil over high heat.

Combine the shrimp, scallops, soy sauce, and sake in a small bowl and mix well. Set aside.

To make the tempura batter, in a large bowl, lightly beat the egg and water until just combined. Slowly mix in the cake flour, being careful not to overmix—the batter should be thick and slightly frothy, and contain some small lumpy bits of flour. Add more cake flour if the batter is too watery. Fold in the carrot, mushrooms, onion, mitsuba, shrimp, and scallops and lightly coat with the batter.