Mix the ingredients for the spicy ketchup. Set aside.

If you plan to eat with the soup, let's prepare the soup first. Boil the water, add the sauteed garlic, salt and pepper, light soy sauce, and chopped celery. Simmer in very low heat. The chopped scallions may be added later.

Mix the tempura flour and cold water according to the package. Set aside and store in the fridge while preparing for the mushrooms.

Clean the mushrooms using kitchen paper (do not wash the mushrooms in water). Shread each mushroom into strings.

Heat oil in a deep frying pan over medium heat. Stir the cold tempura batter until it's well mixed.

I don't use kitchen thermometer so I have to test the oil. If the oil is not hot enough then the mushrooms will become oily.

Put one string of mushroom in the tempura batter and put in the heated oil. If it's quickly turned into golden brown then we can fry the rest of the mushrooms.

Using chopstick or tong, put some of the shredded mushrooms into the tempura batter. Quickly mix and put into the frying oil.

Fry the mushrooms in batches until soft golden brown.

Serve warm with the hot soup, steamed rice and the spicy ketchup.