Get your vegetables ready in a bowl and blot up excessive moisture with paper towels
Get your frying oil ready. Pour about 2 inches of the vegetable oil in a deep-skillet and heat to 370 F on a deep-frying thermometer. Or test it with few drops of the batter, the drops will sink slightly and then rise to the surface and puff quickly but not color immediately. This is the sign that the oil is ready. Preheat oven to 200 F at the same time
While waiting for the oil to heat up, prepare the batter just before frying. Pour the ice water into a small bowl and sift the flour over it. Stir to mix slightly. You want the lumps to be visible in the batter.<br> <img class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-9932" title="Lumpy tempura batter" src="http://whattocooktoday.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/04/DSC_5826.jpg" alt="Lumpy tempura batter" width="366" height="550" data-mce-src="http://whattocooktoday.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/04/DSC_5826.jpg"><br> Why ? because these lumps will puff up as you fry your vegetables creating the nice crunch. Place all the vegetables in the tempura batter and toss lightly to coat the vegetables with the batter
One by one, placing the vegetables in the hot oil as much as you can but not to overcrowd your skillet. Fry for about 1 minute and DO NOT stir or flip them or anything. Just leave it for that 1 minute. Then transfer the crispy vegetables to a wire rack on a tray to drain and slip into the warm oven. Clear the oil with fine-mesh strainer of batter bits before adding the next batch of pancakes. Repeat the above steps until all vegetables are fried
Serve with dipping sauce if you prepare any. Otherwise, it is good as it is or you can sprinkle some salt on top of them right before serving