Tempura

Tempura is among the most popular elements of the Japanese cuisine. It consists of battered fish and/or vegetables that have been deep fried in oil. Tempura is different from many other battered and deep fried foods due to the fact that it is lighter and tends to carry less grease. Currently, Tempura is served in many restaurants across the world. In Japan however, due to its popularity, tempura is served from roadside stands. Here, it is mostly sold in paper cones so that customers can consume it while going about their businesses and not have to worry about getting their hands oily.

Origin of Tempura

Deep frying is popular in most restaurants in western countries where tempura is served. Some cooks prefer preparing more delicate flavors using light batter rather than the conventional heavy batters. The light batter has also been adapted for preparing other fried foods. Most tempura consumers associate it with Japanese delicacies. Surprisingly, the food was not developed in Japan. The Portuguese, who explored Japan in the 16^th Century, were the ones who brought the idea of battering and frying foods in Japan. The deep fried foods were adapted according to Japanese tastes resulting to the invention of tempura which uses a more refined batter.

Tempura, Tempura, Tempura

Japanese cuisine aesthetics are well suited with tempura. Cooks use the freshest vegetables available, fully dip them in light batter, and quickly fry them in hot oil. This sears the batter to avoid oil from penetrating to the core. Unlike most of the Western battered and fried foods, tempura is prepared using a thin layer of batter. This batter puffs up all round the item being fried in order to create a lacy and crunchy shell on the outside and a warm and flavorful inside.

The batter that is used on tempura is made up of rice flour, eggs and icy water. The consistency is a slightly runny liquid in order to make a thin layer of coating over the item being fried. Items to be fried are put in a deep fryer immediately after they have been battered or else the batter might soak into the food, leaving less batter to be fried on the outside. The finest pieces usually come directly from the fryer onto a customer’s plate. If the battered food sits too long, the temperature causes the coating to become less crunchy, so it should be consumed as quickly as possible. Just like sushi, tempura is usually prepared and consumed in bars where customers can observe as the cook prepares the food, which is then served immediately after it is ready. Tempura can be ordered as a single meal or as part of a larger meal, which usually entails pickled vegetables, soup and rice. It almost always comes in a bento box. Tempura food usually varies in cases when it is ordered as part of a meal, as it may include several pieces of seafood accompanied with vegetables. In both cases, the served pieces should be light, golden, and tasty.

 

Tempura Roll

Sushi rolls are greatly flexible in the sense that the roll is open to a lot of experimentation. The most popular traditional roll comprises of a piece of fish surrounded with rice and rolled inside a dried piece of seaweed. After rolling it, is then sliced into small and uniform pieces. In the case that tempura is used, there is one more step before cutting the roll: dipping in batter and deep frying it. A tempura roll, in a sense, is a type of sushi roll that is soaked in batter and deep fried to produce a lightly browned and crunchy roll.

Tempura is one of the specific ways of battering and frying everything including vegetables, meat, and seafood. Tempura shrimps are one of the most common rolls that are prepared using this method. Nevertheless, these are not the only ways of preparing a tempura roll. Well versed sushi chefs have come up with creative ways to prepare and satisfy the tastes of diners.

Understanding the Tempura Process

The tempura batter is quite simple; it is prepared using cold water, flour and eggs. The first step is to add eggs to water and beating them until the two mix together. Then, the flour is slowly added and stirred in the egg and water mixture. If done properly, there should be some unmixed flour that will remain in the batter.  The food is fully dipped into the batter and then gently placed in a deep fryer.  Depending on the item, it may take up to 5 minutes to fully fry. This is done in order to get a crispy and crunchy exterior, while still sustaining the softness and freshness of the inside. If the item was not fully coated with batter, the parts that are not coated will burn.

Tempura is considered as one of the most common ways of flash-frying in Japanese cuisine. Foods that have been prepared using this method are referred to as “tempura”. For instance, vegetable tempura is mostly prepared with vegetables that have been chopped coarsely. Carrots, broccoli and mushrooms are the most preferred vegetables that are used. They can be prepared in pieces or as a whole. Some types of meat and fish can also be prepared using the same process. Tempura dishes are in some cases served on their own. They can be served as individual plates or as platters. When tempura is used as a sushi filling the resulting food is referred to as a tempura roll.

Tempura Shrimp Rolls

Tempura rolls that are made with fried shrimp are among the most common and popular tempuras. A tempura shrimp is prepared by peeling and trimming fresh and raw shrimp. Chefs usually trim a shrimp’s tail without necessarily removing it, after which they are dipped in batter as quickly as possible. Once the whole shrimp is coated, it is then dipped in hot oil to deep fry. After it is fried, the tails can then be cut off. However, most tempura are prepared and served with the shrimp tails intact for aesthetic purposes even though the tail is not to be eaten. After they are deep fried, the shrimps are set aside to drain excess oil as the rest of the ingredients are prepared. Tempura shrimp is used as a common ingredient for the inside of a sushi roll such as a dragon roll.

Other Combinations

Shrimp is not the only type of tempura roll available; most sushi chefs usually use vegetables that have been fried. Different types of fish can also be used inside a roll that will eventually be deep fried. A very popular roll, Seattle roll uses raw salmon, avocado, and cream cheese on the inside and is deep fried with batter on the outside. Mayonnaise and cream cheese are among the popular additions because it melts, while staying inside the roll – the tempura holds it together while you enjoy it piece by piece. As long as the roll has been prepared in the tempura style, the entire meal can be referred to as tempura.