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Tempura
recipe
When
you are in a mood for something oily; not recommended for eating
very often because of being rich in fat
Tempura is an unusual dish since no other 'Japanese food' is so oily and greasy. However, if you take a train during the morning rush hour and happen to walk by one of those little shops next to or under a train station, you will see dozens of Japanese
salarymen (mostly!) eating tempura as fast as they can while they stand on these counters and the chef prepares fresh tempura right in front of you.
You wonder, though, that despite dishes like this,
Japanese can manage to stay slim.
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Portuguese traders in the 16th century landed up in Japan and taught the Japanese how to coat shrimp and vegetables with batter, deep fry them, and then of course, eat them with
soy
sauce (Related article: Soy
substitutes). It all started with Japanese vendors on the streets selling tempura to visitors to Tokyo business district next to Tokyo Bay, using fresh shrimp. Over the years, Japanese chefs exercised their creativity and while shrimp continues to be the dominant ingredient, a large number of vegetables including broccoli, spinach, okra, eggplant,
squash, mushroom, sweet potato, and cucumbers are now quite common. |
 In Japan, there is time and place for everything including food. That is why so much attention is paid to food - how and when to eat and with whom. Tempura can be eaten almost any time of the day as has been shown by how much Japanese
salarymen enjoy a tempura breakfast. There are restaurants that specialize in tempura dishes where several course of tempuras are served. However, if you want to try tempura in the privacy of your home, a good time is a cold and rainy day when deep fried food tastes so much better as you watch the rain drops falling. If you have a
loved one by your side, this could be a perfect opportunity to load up on deep fried food that is supposed to
increase sexual
desire. If you have friends for a party, tempura is a great dish to share while drinking chilled beer.
(Related article: Japanese
theme party)
What will you need?
Shrimp and vegetables, as desired
One cup dashi (bonito fish stock)
Four tablespoons of soy sauce
Three tablespoons mirin vegetable oil
One egg
Two cups sifted cake flour
Six tablespoons of grated long white radish (daikon)
Two teaspoons peeled and grated fresh ginger root
How to make it?
Prepare the shrimp and vegetables and dry them on paper towels.
Combine dashi, soy sauce, and mirin in saucepan; bring to boil. Remove; set aside.
Pour oil at least two inch or 5 cm deep into a wok and heat to 375 F or 190 C.
Beat an egg thoroughly and mix with water. Sprinkle all of the flour evenly over this liquid but do not mix it.
Now take the shrimp and the vegetables, dip into the batter, drain off excess batter, and put it gently into the oil.
Drain tempura to take the excess oil out.
To serve tempura, heat dipping sauce a little bit, and divide it into individuals bowls depending on the number of guests.
How to serve and eat tempura?
To serve tempura, heat the dipping sauce a little bit, and divide it into individuals bowls depending on the number of guests.
Tempura has to be eaten as hot as possible. Add desired amount of grated radish and ginger sauce.
Dip tempura into sauce before eating but not for too long. Lengthy dipping will make it soggy.
Recommended links:
Cooking channel Easy recipe for Japanese soup
Japanese style stir fried shrimp with ginger
Okonomiyaki
meal
California rolls recipe |
