If you've enjoyed tempura in Japanese restaurants, you know that the dish is an unforgettable treat. Although tempura may seem exotic, it isn't difficult to make at home. Nearly any food can be fried in tempura batter, including fish, squid, prawns, cauliflower, zucchini, broccoli, onion, carrot, cucumbers, or even chunks of fruit or squash blossoms. The result is hot, golden brown, light and crispy.
- Ice water
- 1 large egg
- 3/4 to 1 1/4 cups flour
- 1/8 teaspoon baking soda
- Foods for frying (pieces of seafood, meat, vegetables, fruits, etc.)
Part 1 of 3: Making the batter
1Place about a cup of ice water in a medium-sized mixing bowl.Ad
2Stir in one large egg. Remove the egg from the refrigerator just before adding, as the egg should be well-chilled.
3Stir 3/4 cup of flour and 1/8 teaspoon of baking soda into the egg mixture.
4Mix the batter lightly and don't worry about a few small lumps of unmixed flour. Too much mixing will result in doughy, non-crispy tempura.
5Keep the tempura batter in the refrigerator while you prepare the foods for frying.
Part 2 of 3: Preparing the dipping ingredients
1Prepare the foods for frying in the tempura batter ahead of time. If you are making fish tempura, wash and debone the fish, then cut the fish into small chunks. If you are using shrimp in your tempura, the shrimp should be de-veined.
2Use the freshest, firmest vegetables you can find to make vegetable tempura. Wash the vegetables thoroughly.
3Cut the vegetables into chunks. Avoid soft vegetables, as soft vegetables will become soggy when the vegetables are deep-fried.
4Pat the food dry with paper towels. Place the food in the refrigerator until you're ready to deep fry.
Part 3 of 3: Frying
1Set the bowl of homemade tempura batter in a larger bowl filled with ice water. Tempura batter should be kept cold while you work.
2Season the cut veggies. This will add flavor to the food, and also wick away moisture, making the batter stick better.
3Place 2 to 3 inches (5.1 to 7.6 cm) of cooking oil in a heavy frying pan. You can use nearly any type of oil, including canola, safflower, corn or peanut oil. However, avoid olive oil, which will alter the flavor of the tempura. If you are using a deep fat fryer, fill the fryer to the level recommended by the manufacturer.
4Heat the oil to 350 degrees. If you don't have a thermometer, heat the oil then drop about a pea-sized bit of batter into the oil. If the oil is hot enough, the batter will drop to the bottom before it sizzles and bounces quickly to the top of the oil.
5Using your hands or chopsticks, dip the prepared food into the tempura batter, making sure to coat it on all sides. It is helpful to place your batter near the oil so you don't spill on the counter when moving it to the oil.
6Move the battered food directly from the bowl of batter into the hot oil. Remember to place it in the oil gently so it does not splash.
7Turn each piece once so the food cooks evenly on both sides.
- Cook the tempura until the batter is golden brown.
8Remove the fried tempura with tongs, then place on a layer of folded paper towels.
We could really use your help!
- Dry the vegetables, meat, etc. well before coating in the batter.
- Sift the flour for a smoother surface.
- Make a sweet tempura treat with bananas and ice cream. Fry chunks of bananas in tempura batter, sprinkle with powdered sugar, then serve the hot banana tempura with ice cream.
Things You'll Need
- Medium-size mixing bowl
- Paper towels
- Large bowl of ice water
- Cooking oil
- Heavy frying pan or medium-large deep fryer
Sources and Citations
Categories: Japanese Dishes
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