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Tempura pumpkin with Japanese dipping sauce

Matt Tebbutt’s tempura pumpkin recipe delivers a light, crisp Japanese‑inspired starter or side. Delica pumpkin shines in an airy tempura batter, served with a savoury‑sweet dashi and soy dipping sauce and bright, zesty pickled ginger and daikon. A beautiful seasonal sharing plate.

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Prep: less than 30 mins
Cook: 10 to 30 mins
Serves: 4
Dietary: Nut‑free, Vegetarian

Matt Tebbutt, Saturday Kitchen chefBy Matt Tebbutt
From Saturday Kitchen 31 Oct 2026


Nutri‑Score C - moderate nutritional quality
Moderate overall nutritional value. The dish provides vegetable goodness and a light batter, but frying oil and added sugars in the sauce and pickle push the score into category C. Enjoy as a starter or occasional treat rather than a daily staple.

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The kit that makes this recipe easy:

Ingredients

For the pumpkin

  • 1 medium Delica pumpkin, skin left on, thinly sliced
  • plain flour, for coating
  • vegetable oil, for deep‑frying

For the tempura batter

  • 100g/3½oz plain flour
  • 25g/1oz cornflour
  • 180ml/6⅓fl oz ice‑cold sparkling water
  • 1 medium free‑range egg yolk
  • pinch of salt

For the dipping sauce

  • 150ml/5fl oz dashi stock
  • 3 tbsp Japanese soy sauce
  • 3 tbsp mirin
  • 1 tsp caster sugar

For the pickled ginger and daikon

  • 100ml/3½fl oz rice wine vinegar
  • 25g/1oz caster sugar
  • 4cm/2in piece fresh ginger, peeled, cut into thin matchsticks
  • ¼ daikon, peeled, cut into matchsticks
  • 1 red chilli, cut into rounds, seeds in
  • 1 green chilli, cut into rounds, seeds in

Customise

  • Pumpkin – swap Delica for kabocha or butternut squash; peel if skin is thick
  • Sparkling water – still ice‑cold water works; batter will be slightly less crisp
  • Mirin – replace with sweet sherry or ½ tsp extra sugar plus 1 tbsp water
  • Dashi – use vegetable stock for fully plant‑based version
  • Chilli – reduce or omit for less heat

How the timings work

  • Make pickling liquid and prep vegetables first – it can cool while you cook everything else
  • Simmer dipping sauce next – it takes just a few minutes and can sit warm or at room temperature
  • Preheat fryer and slice pumpkin while batters and sauces finish settling
  • Mix batter just before frying – keep it ice‑cold for maximum crispness
  • Fry in small batches – serve immediately as each batch is ready

Method

Make the batter (5 mins)

  1. Mix the dry ingredients – put 100g plain flour, 25g cornflour and a pinch of salt in a large mixing bowl and stir to combine.
  2. Add the wet ingredients – whisk 180ml ice‑cold sparkling water and 1 egg yolk together, then pour into the flour mixture.
  3. Combine gently – stir with a fork only until just mixed. Lumps are fine – do not overmix, that makes batter tough.

Make the dipping sauce (5 mins)

  1. Simmer – place 150ml dashi stock, 3 tbsp soy sauce, 3 tbsp mirin and 1 tsp sugar in a small saucepan over medium heat. Bring to a gentle simmer.
  2. Dissolve and set aside – stir for a few minutes until sugar dissolves. Keep warm or leave to infuse at room temperature.

Make the pickle (10 mins + cooling)

  1. Make the brine – combine 100ml water, 100ml rice wine vinegar and 25g sugar in a medium saucepan. Heat gently until sugar fully dissolves.
  2. Pour over vegetables – tip ginger, daikon and chilli into a heatproof bowl. Pour over the hot pickling liquid.
  3. Steep – use straight away or cool, cover and chill. Keeps well in the fridge for up to 3 days.

Fry the pumpkin (15–20 mins)

  1. Preheat fryer – set deep‑fat fryer to 200°C / 180°C Fan / Gas 6. CAUTION: Hot oil can be dangerous – do not leave unattended.
  2. Prep pumpkin – cut pumpkin into thin even slices; leave skin on if tender. Toss lightly in seasoned plain flour, shake off excess.
  3. Dip and fry – coat each floured slice in cold batter. Lower carefully into hot oil in small batches. Fry 2–3 minutes until golden and crisp.
  4. Drain – lift out with a slotted spoon. Drain on kitchen paper briefly.
  5. Serve – plate immediately with dipping sauce in small bowls and a generous side of pickled ginger and daikon.

Techniques for Success

  1. Keep batter ice‑cold – warm batter turns greasy and heavy. Lumps are good – they create that classic lacy crisp crust. Success: vigorous bubbles in oil, light golden airy coating. Failure: smooth thick batter, dark heavy soggy crust.
  2. Fry at the right temperature – 180–200°C keeps oil clean and batter crisp. Too low = soggy oil‑soaked result; too high = burnt outside, raw inside. Success: food sizzles and floats immediately. Failure: oil smokes or batter sinks without bubbling.
  3. Don’t overcrowd the fryer – dropping too much food lowers oil temperature fast. Fry in 3–4 small batches. Success: each piece cooks evenly and stays separate. Failure: pieces stick together, oil cools, everything steams instead of frying.
TechniqueFailure if done wrongSuccess looks like
Ice‑cold batterGreasy, heavy, pale coatingLight, lacy, golden‑crisp crust
Correct oil temperatureSoggy, oil‑logged or burntEven golden colour, crisp exterior, no greasy aftertaste
Small batchesClumped, steamed, unevenly cookedSeparate pieces, uniform crispness

Tips & Swaps

  • Get ahead: Make the pickle up to 3 days in advance – flavour improves as it sits. Prepare sauce 1 day ahead and reheat gently.
  • Swaps: Use butternut squash or sweet potato if Delica pumpkin is hard to find. Substitute sparkling water with chilled still water – crispness is slightly reduced but still delicious.
  • Vegetarians: Recipe is fully vegetarian. Use kombu or vegetable dashi for fully plant‑based version; check soy sauce is vegan.
  • Leftovers: Batter and fried pumpkin are best eaten fresh – they lose crispness on standing. Store pickle separately in fridge for up to 3 days. Reheat sauce gently on hob or in microwave.
  • Serving ideas: Offer as a starter for 4 or side dish for 6. Pair with steamed rice and miso soup for a complete light meal.
  • Storage: Fried elements do not freeze well. Keep pickle in a sealed glass jar in the fridge.

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