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Tempura
This is the Japanese batter-fried vegetables
and seafood which has become well-known outside
of Japan. When making tempura one should
be sure to observe three important points.
1.Use the freshest of ingredients. Tempura
is only lightly fried so the original freshness
of the food becomes more important.
2.Keep oil at a constant temperature. This
will ensure even frying and help attain the
light touch tempura is known for.
3.Try to keep the batter lumpy.
This may seem strange for those used to making
smooth batter. With tempura the goal is to
achieve a lacy, thin, golden fried coating
and not a thick, pancake-like casing. A lumpy
dough facilitates this thin coating. Also,
make the batter just before you are ready
to begin, don't let the batter sit. Make
sure all the things to be fried are thoroughly
dry. Pat dry with cloth if necessary. You
may dredge them lightly in flour. This allows
the batter to adhere better.
Recipe:
(4 servings)
Tempura
Select fresh seafood, fish and vegetables.
Carrots, sweet potatoes, onion and shiitake
mushrooms make good choices
.
Dipping sauce
1 C dashi
1/3 C mirin
1/3 C Kikkoman Light Color Soy Sauce
1 C grated giant white radish (daikon oroshi)
Few T finely grated fresh ginger
Batter
2 eggs
2 C ice water
2 C sifted flour
To Prepare:
-Select fresh seafood, fish and vegetables
of your choice. Remove any shells,
bones
and skin. Cut into bite-sized pieces.
-Prepare the dipping sauce by combining ingredients
over heat and bringing just to a boil. Keep
warm.
-Grate radish and ginger. Keep warm.
To Make Batter:
-Make the batter in two batches, the first
just before you are ready to begin deep-frying,
as you are waiting for the oil to heat. In
a mixing bowl, lightly beat 1 egg yolk, pour
in 1 C of ice water and beat. Add 1 C sifted
flour. Stroke a few times with chopsticks
or fork until ingredients are lightly mixed.
The batter should be lumpy. Make the second
batch when first is gone.
-The oil should be fairly hot, 170C/340F.
Test by dropping a little batter into oil,
it should descend below surface then rise
up to top.
To Fry:
-Have the trays of food, flour for dipping
and batter near you. Also have racks for
draining the fried tempura. Dip food in flour
using fingers, then dip in batter. Lay in
hot oil and fry until golden (around 3 minutes),
turning for even cooking. Retrieve with slotted
spoon or chopsticks and drain before transferring
to serving plate.
To Serve:
-Tempura should be served as soon after frying
as possible. Usually plates are lined with
absorbent paper to catch excess oil. Place
a few of each seafood/fish and several vegetables
on plate and serve.
-At the table pour hot dipping sauce into
small bowl, mix in grated daikon and a bit
of grated ginger. Dip tempura in sauce and
eat.
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