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Tempura is a Japanese frying method that requires fresh, light batter and clean oil. Vegetables, seafood, and tofu can be fried, but excess batter should be avoided. The ideal frying temperature for vegetables is 340°F, while fish is best at 350°F. Serve immediately with salt, lemon, or dipping sauce.
The Japanese method of frying called tempura isn’t hard to make as long as a few tips are kept in mind. One is that tempura is meant to be a fresh, light batter rather than a heavy, greasy one, so only fresh, clean cooking oil should be used. Also, ice water is essential to keep the batter from getting too greasy. Chunks of seafood, tofu, and bite-sized vegetables are ideal foods for stir-frying in the style of tempura cooking.
Broccoli and mushroom florets as well as onion, carrot and green pepper slices are common tempura vegetables. Sliced potatoes and sweet potatoes can also be fried using this method, but they must be parboiled before frying. To parboil sweet and regular potatoes, add the slices to a pot of simmering water for about five minutes. Shrimp, squid, scallops and prawns are good choices for frying. Tofu can be used in place of seafood, but it should be firm enough to hold its shape while cooking.
Tempura batter should be prepared as close to cooking time as possible. About 1/2 to 1 cup (125 – 250 mL) of batter per person is a good general amount to keep in mind. Tempura batter recipes vary, but the basic way to make it is to beat the egg yolks before mixing them with flour and salt. Crushed ice with added water is then stirred into the flour mixture to complete the batter. The batter should then be used immediately to lightly dip each piece of food.
It’s important not to use too much batter on your food because the excess batter will break down during cooking. The pieces of food should be cooked in hot vegetable oil for a few minutes on each side until golden brown. The oil should be at least 2″ – 3″ deep in the cooking container. Vegetables should always be cooked first when making tempura, and the ideal frying temperature for vegetables is 340 degrees Fahrenheit (171.11 C). Fish is best cooked at 350 degrees Fahrenheit (176.67 C).
Tempura is best served right after the food is cooked. Freshly fried food can be eaten with salt and lemon or with a dipping sauce or daikon radish. Daikon radish is an Asian vegetable that has a sweet taste. Tentsuyu is a Japanese tempura dipping sauce made from a soup broth and soy sauce base.
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