From Delicious in Dungeon · 2024- · Reconstructed
Mandrake Kakiage
Serve when
Serve when the mandrakes move from shrieking danger to crisp fritters.
In the series
Season 1
- S1E2 · ~00:16:00 Mandrakes are turned into kakiage alongside the basilisk meal
In the series
Mandrake kakiage is one of the cleanest translations from monster to real food: root vegetables become a tangle, the tangle becomes a fritter, and the danger turns into texture.
Ingredients
- For the fritters:
- For the batter:
- For serving:
Method
- Toss the burdock or parsnip, carrot, onion, and mushrooms with a light dusting of flour. This helps the batter cling.
- Heat 2 inches of oil to 340 F. Keep the flour, egg, water, and cornstarch cold until the oil is ready.
- Beat the egg with the ice water. Add the flour and cornstarch, then stir briefly with chopsticks or a fork. Leave lumps; smooth batter turns heavy.
- Fold a few handfuls of vegetables into just enough batter to coat them. Scoop loose nests into the oil and fry until pale gold and crisp, about 3 to 4 minutes per side.
- Drain on a rack, salt immediately, and serve with grated daikon and tentsuyu.
Substitutions
- Mandrake: Burdock root has the best rooty, earthy personality. Parsnip is easier to find and sweeter. Use carrot plus parsnip if burdock is unavailable.
- Shiitake: Fresh shiitake gives a deeper dungeon flavor. Cremini works if that is what the store has.
- Tentsuyu: Use bottled tempura sauce, or mix soy sauce, water, lemon, and a pinch of sugar. It will not be as layered as dashi-based tentsuyu, but it gives salt, brightness, and dipping structure.
- No thermometer: Drop in a little batter. It should sink slightly, rise quickly, and bubble steadily. If it browns immediately, the oil is too hot.
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