| Tempura is a deep fried seafood or vegetable | | | | parts of dashi with one party of shoyu and one |
| and this snack is very popular in Japan. It was | | | | part of mirin. Soy sauce mixed with wasabi is also |
| introduced to Japan by the Portuguese in the | | | | a good dipping sauce or you might prefer a satay |
| middle of the sixteenth century. It is easy to | | | | sauce or sweet and sour sauce. |
| make tempura yourself at home and popular | | | | Alternatively, tempura can be served over |
| tempura fillings include shrimp, shiitake | | | | steamed rice, over noodles or as a topping for |
| mushrooms, bell pepper, sweet potato, onion, | | | | udon soup. If you are catering for a buffet, |
| broccoli, banana eggplant, carrot, and squid. | | | | tempura makes a great dish and you can serve it |
| Tips for the Best Tempura | | | | with a dipping sauce, with a variety of dipping |
| It is very important to use ice water when | | | | sauces or just with some salt ground over it. |
| making a tempura batter, because this stops the | | | | Tempura works well as finger food, or you can |
| batter from absorbing excessive oil. Make the | | | | serve it with chopsticks. |
| batter for your tempura just before using it. | | | | An Easy Recipe for Tempura |
| Tempura batter is not something that can be | | | | You will need: |
| made ahead. Do not over-mix the batter or | | | | - Seafood or vegetables |
| over-coat your ingredients. | | | | - 1 cup ice cold water |
| If you are going to make seafood tempura and | | | | - 1/8 teaspoon baking soda |
| vegetable tempura, do the vegetables first at 340 | | | | - 3/4 cup flour |
| degrees F and the seafood afterwards at 350 | | | | - 1 egg |
| degrees F. Drop some batter in the oil to test the | | | | - Oil, for frying How to make it: |
| temperature. If it comes up immediately, without | | | | Stir the egg and ice water together in a bowl and |
| sinking to the bottom first, the oil is about 360 | | | | the flour and baking soda in another bowl. Pour |
| degrees F. If it sinks halfway and then pops up, | | | | the flour mixture into the egg mixture and |
| the oil is around 340 degrees F, which is a good | | | | combine them. Do not worry about lumps in the |
| temperature to use. | | | | batter. |
| Do not use very soft vegetables or other soft | | | | Refrigerate the batter while you prepare the |
| ingredients for making tempura because they will | | | | seafood or vegetables. Chop your vegetables into |
| fall apart after cooking, when you serve them. If | | | | bite-sized pieces, peel, and de-vein the shrimp. |
| you are using shrimp, make a few cuts on the | | | | Heat the oil in a skillet or pot. |
| belly. This stops the shrimp from curling up while it | | | | When you drop a bit of batter into the oil, it |
| cooks. | | | | should rise immediately to the top. Dip the |
| Serving Ideas | | | | vegetables and seafood into the batter and fry |
| Tempura can be used to make other dishes or it | | | | them in the oil, turning them over when the |
| can be eaten alone with a dipping sauce. You can | | | | underside is golden brown. Drain the tempura on a |
| make a tasty dipping sauce by combining three | | | | paper towel. |