Cookbook:Tempura

Tempura
Category	Japanese recipes
Yield	1¾ cups (450 g) batter
Difficulty

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Tempura is one of the fried foods of Japan. Various meats, fish, and vegetables are dipped in batter and then deep fried until lightly golden.

Ingredients

• 1 egg
• 1 cup ice cold water
• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• Oil for deep-frying (peanut oil is best)
• Meat, vegetables, or seafood

Procedure

1. Heat oil in a deep pan to 340–350°F (~171–176°C).
2. Beat the egg in a bowl and add ice cold water. Warmer water will produce a sticky batter and more oily tempura.
3. Add flour and mix lightly. Do not overmix batter—a few lumps actually improve the result, adding crispiness.
4. Dip meat or vegetables briefly in the batter, and fry until brown.
5. Remove from the oil and drain.
6. Serve hot.

Notes, tips, and variations

• If using shrimp, score them a few times crosswise on the underside, to prevent them from curling up during deep frying. Alternatively, skewer them before cooking. Remove the skewers before serving.
• You may also wish to include 1 tablespoon of cornstarch in the batter.
• Serve over white rice garnished with black sesame seeds, in a bowl of udon noodle soup, or in a bowl of soba noodle soup. Serving in soup will make the cooked batter get mushy, of course.