12 prawns, large and raw
4 small white-fleshed fish fillets
8 squids
1 pumpkin, sliced
3 carrots, sliced
2 sweet potatoes, sliced
2 eggplants, sliced
6 white mushrooms, wiped and trimmed
tempura batter mix
tempura dipping sauce
2 tablespoons oil for deep frying

Shell and devein shrimp, but leave tails attached. To prevent them from curling as they are deep-fried, make a few deep incisions along the belly. Remove bones from white-fleshed fish and cut them into bite-sized pieces. Cut squid into 1,5 inch (4cm) squares, then cross-score the outer smooth side of each piece lightly. If mushroom caps are very large, cut in half. Mix the vegetables together in a bowl. In another bowl, mix tempura flour with the amount of water described on the package, leaving some small lumps in it. Pour the oil in a frying pan and heat to 340°F/170°C. Dip food in flour, shake off any excess flour, then dip in batter; lay or slide coated material in hot oil and deep-fry till golden for about 3 minutes. Retrieve with slotted spoon and drain before transferring to serving plate. Begin with vegetables and then move on to the shrimp and fish. When the tempura pieces are browned, take them out and wipe with kitchen paper to remove excess oil. Serve them on a plate and prepare some bowls with tempura dipping sauce. Alternatively put them in tempura dipping sauce and place on top of cooked rice in a bowl.