Tempura Vegetables or Shrimp

1. Heat the oil to 375°F in a large wok over high heat, then adjust the heat as necessary to maintain the temperature.
2. Line a baking sheet with a double layer of paper towels.
3. Combine the cornstarch, flour, and salt in a large bowl and stir with chopsticks to blend.
4. Combine the egg and vodka in a small bowl and whisk until completely homogeneous.
5. Add the club soda to the liquid mixture and stir with chopsticks until barely combined. Immediately add to the bowl with the flour and, holding the bowl with one hand and the chopsticks in the other, shake the bowl back and forth while vigorously stirring with the chopsticks until the liquid and dry ingredients are just barely combined. There should still be many bubbles and pockets of dry flour.
6. Add the vegetables to the batter and fold with your hand to coat. Pick up the vegetables a few pieces at a time, allowing excess batter to drip off, and transfer to the hot oil, getting your hand as close as possible to the surface before letting go in order to minimize splashing. Increase the heat to high to maintain the temperature as close to 350°F as possible, and add the remaining vegetables a few pieces at a time. Immediately start agitating them with chopsticks or a spider, separating the vegetables, flipping them, and constantly exposing them to fresh oil. Continue frying until the batter is completely crisp and pale blond, about 1 minute.
7. Transfer the tempura to a paper-towel-lined plate or baking sheet and immediately sprinkle with salt. Serve with lemon wedges or honey-miso mayonnaise.