Steps

1. Lightly wash the broccoli under running water.
   🕒 01:09
2. Fill a large bowl with water, invert the broccoli, and soak it. Shake to clean.
   🕒 01:23
3. Thoroughly drain the washed broccoli.
   🕒 01:40
4. Cut the florets off from slightly above their base. For clusters of thin florets, cut them off leaving the base intact.
   🕒 02:02
5. For larger florets, use the base of your knife to make a cut halfway into the root, about 1/3 of the way up. Gently separate them with your hands into three pieces. Cut other large florets in half to match the size.
   🕒 02:45
6. If the cut end of the broccoli stem feels tough, trim it off.
   🕒 03:47
7. Shave off the thick outer skin of the stem using a knife, as if sharpening a pencil.
   🕒 04:05
8. Cut the peeled stem into bite-sized pieces.
   🕒 04:59
9. In a large bowl, add 70g of All-purpose Flour and make a well in the center.
   🕒 05:19
10. Crack 1 Egg into the well and mix the egg and flour until well combined.
    🕒 05:31
11. In a separate bowl, combine 3 tbsp Water, 1.5 tbsp Mentsuyu (Noodle Soup Base) (if 4x concentrated), and 1 tsp Sugar. Mix until there are no large lumps.
    🕒 05:49
12. Coat half of the prepared broccoli with the batter, ensuring it's well covered.
    🕒 06:37
13. Pour about 3-4 cm depth of oil into a pot and heat over medium heat to 160°C (320°F).
    🕒 06:54
14. Once the oil is hot, carefully place the battered broccoli into the pot, florets facing down. Avoid overcrowding the pot; leave space between pieces. For the first minute, do not stir to allow the batter to set.
    🕒 07:33
15. Fry for about 3 minutes until golden brown, then flip and fry for another 2 minutes, turning occasionally.
    🕒 07:53
16. Once a nice golden brown color is achieved, remove the broccoli pieces, starting with the smaller ones, and drain the oil thoroughly. Place the fried broccoli with the florets facing up to drain.
    🕒 08:10
17. Before frying the remaining broccoli, remove any fried bits from the pot and adjust the oil temperature back to 160°C (320°F).
    🕒 08:29
18. Fry the remaining broccoli in batches, following the same process. Remove when golden brown and drain the oil.
    🕒 08:31
19. Serve with ketchup on the side, if desired.
    🕒 08:46