Fun Food Holidays™
January 7th, 2025 is National Tempura Day

What is tempura?

Tempura is a basic yet popular dish in Japanese cooking. It consists of seafood or vegetables that are dipped in a thin batter and deep-fried in oil. Tempura originated in south-eastern Japan, where chefs began frying fish and vegetables in the 16th century. The word tempura comes from the Portuguese "tempero", meaning to cook something lightly fried, as the method of frying food was originally introduced to Japan by Portuguese traders and missionaries.

How do you make tempura batter?

In its simplest form, tempura batter usually consists of flour, baking powder, salt, ice water, and egg. Tempura batter is a light and crisp batter used to coat vegetables, seafood, and meats before deep-frying.

The most important thing about making tempura is to not make it too thick. Otherwise, you'll end up with something that tastes more like fried dough than light, crispy tempura.

To make the batter, mix together all the ingredients in a bowl until no lumps remain. The consistency should be similar to a creamy pancake batter or heavy cream. Too thick, and it won't coat things properly, too thin and your tempura will come out greasy with raw spots.

What kind of flour do you use in tempura?

Ideally, you want a lower protein flour such as cake flour or rice flour, but all-purpose flour can be used.

What kind of liquid do you use in tempura batter?

Ice water is most commonly used, but you can also use club soda or even beer for an even lighter and puffier tempura. The liquid should be cold, whichever you choose.

Why isn't my tempura crispy?

The most common culprit is not having the oil hot enough. If the oil isn't hot enough the tempura batter may become soggy.

How hot should the oil be for frying tempura?

The oil should be about 350 degrees F to cook the food and get a nice golden brown coating. If you are using ingredients that will take longer to cook, then reduce the temperature of the oil by 10 degrees so the interior will cook without burning the exterior tempura coating.

What type of oil should you fry tempura in?

Use peanut, corn, or canola oil for best results. Add a couple of tablespoons of sesame oil to your cooking oil to give the tempura a little extra flavor.

What foods can you use tempura batter on?

Shrimp, sweet potatoes, frozen vegetables, root vegetables, green beans, cauliflower, and even things like cheesecake bites or candy bars can be used. Any frozen foods should be thawed and patted dry. Fresh foods should be trimmed and cut into bite-sized pieces before coating with tempura.

Can you use a deep fryer for making tempura?

You can use a deep fryer, deep skillet, or wok. You'll want the hot oil to be at least 2-3 inches deep.

How do you eat tempura?

• Dipped in tentsuyu, made with dashi, mirin, and sugar. Sweet and sour sauce or soy sauce also make good dipping sauces.
• Dipped in salt
• Served on top of rice, or also known as donburi style