About Tempura

Tempura

Just about any vegetable can be made into tempura. Some favorites are:

Japanese eggplant
Kabocha squash
Shiitake mushrooms
Onions
Satsuma sweet potatoes
Green, red, or yellow peppers
Carrots
Potatoes

The vegetables you choose should be sliced about ¼ inch thick and set aside to be dipped and fried. Shiitake can be held by their stems and dipped in the batter. Peppers should be cut in quarters lengthwise and seeded.

Tempura Batter:

1/2 cup white flour
1/2 cup corn starch
1 egg
water

Combine starches. Break egg and mix in a 1 cup measuring cup. Add ice water to fill the cup. Mix into the starches.


Tips:

In order to make perfect tempura, care must be taken in these few things.

- The temperature of the oil should be between 340-350 degrees. A trick that the Japanese use to test the oil temperature is to drop a tiny bit of batter into the pan of oil. If the batter goes halfway down and then rises to the surface, the oil is just the right temperature. If it goes all the way to the bottom, let your oil heat up a bit more and test again. If it immediately goes to the top, let your oil heat a bit and test again.

- The batter is best when it is very cold, so use icy water. Don’t over mix the batter. Make it just before you want to use it.

- Cut the vegetables in uniform pieces and dip quickly in the batter, then place in the oil. (Don’t let them soak in the batter.) Tempura is done when it is lightly browned.

- Always cook vegetables before shrimp or other seafood.

- Keep the oil clean by using a small strainer to remove any bits of batter that may have strayed during cooking.