Tempura (Japan)

Tempura is a classic Japanese dish where seafood or vegetables are lightly battered and deep-fried until crispy. Here's a simple recipe for making shrimp tempura, though you can use various vegetables or fish too.

Ingredients:

For the Tempura Batter:

• 1 cup all-purpose flour (chilled)
• 1 large egg (chilled)
• 1 cup ice-cold water (very cold, as cold as possible)
• 1 tablespoon cornstarch (optional, for extra crispiness)
• A pinch of salt

For the Tempura Filling (you can mix and match):

• 12 large shrimp (peeled, deveined, tails on)
• 1 zucchini (cut into thin slices or sticks)
• 1 sweet potato (thinly sliced)
• 1 carrot (cut into thin sticks)
• Mushrooms (whole or sliced)
• Any other vegetables you like

For Frying:

• Vegetable oil or canola oil (enough to fill a deep pan by about 2-3 inches)

Dipping Sauce (Tentsuyu):

• 1 cup dashi stock (or water mixed with 1 teaspoon dashi powder)
• 2 tablespoons soy sauce
• 2 tablespoons mirin (sweet rice wine)
• 1 teaspoon sugar (optional)

Instructions:

1. Prepare the Ingredients:

• Clean and pat dry the shrimp. Make a few shallow cuts on the underside of each shrimp to keep them straight during frying.
• Cut the vegetables into thin slices or sticks for even cooking.

2. Make the Dipping Sauce (Tentsuyu):

• Combine the dashi stock, soy sauce, mirin, and sugar in a small saucepan. Heat gently until the sugar dissolves. Set aside to cool.

3. Prepare the Batter:

• In a medium bowl, beat the chilled egg lightly. Add ice-cold water to the egg and mix gently.
• Gradually sift in the chilled flour and cornstarch (if using), but don’t overmix. It’s okay if the batter is a bit lumpy—this helps create a light, crispy texture.
• Keep the batter cold by placing the bowl over ice or by refrigerating it until you’re ready to fry.

4. Heat the Oil:

• Heat vegetable oil in a deep pot or frying pan to 170-180°C (340-350°F). You can test the temperature by dropping a bit of batter into the oil. If it floats and sizzles immediately, the oil is ready.

5. Fry the Tempura:

• Lightly coat the shrimp and vegetables in flour before dipping them into the tempura batter. This helps the batter stick.
• Dip each piece into the batter and immediately place it in the hot oil. Fry in small batches to avoid overcrowding the pan.
• Fry for 2-3 minutes, turning occasionally, until the batter is golden and crispy.
• Remove with a slotted spoon and drain on a paper towel.

6. Serve:

• Serve the tempura immediately while it’s hot and crispy, along with the dipping sauce.
• Garnish with grated daikon radish if desired, and enjoy your tempura with some steamed rice or miso soup.

Tips:

• Keep everything cold: The key to light and crispy tempura is cold batter and ingredients.
• Avoid overmixing the batter: Lumps are okay! Overmixing can cause the tempura to be too dense.
• Fry in small batches: This helps maintain the oil temperature and ensures even frying.

Enjoy your homemade shrimp tempura with a variety of vegetables or seafood!

Read More : Fried Catfish (Southern USA)