Mix all of the ingredients together and blend until there are no lumps. Preheat the oil in your deep fat fryer to the proper temperature for the food you are cooking. Dry the fish or the vegetables with a paper towel and dip into the batter. Place in the hot oil one piece at a time. Try to keep the pieces from colliding until the batter has had a chance to set (which it does almost instantly). Cook until the batter has turned a golden brown, remove to a paper towel to drain and serve at once.

YIELD: enough for about 2 pounds of fish or vegetables