Tempura

Home style Tempura is easy to cook and won’t cost much. My favourite Tempura is Green Beans, but when I was a little girl, I loved Sweet Potato the best. Tempura Batter is easy to make. I use only ordinary Plain OR Self-Raising Flour, but I add Potato Starch OR Corn Flour for crispier texture. To achieve light texture, use very cold water. Low temperature slows down the gluten development.

Ingredients Suggestions

Sweet Potato, Green Beans, Pumpkin, Potato, Capsicum, Eggplant, Asparagus, Carrot, Broccoli, Cauliflower, Onion, Parsley, Prawns, Fish, Squid, Shiitake, Mushrooms, Lotus Root, Chikuwa (Fish Sausage)

Tempura Batter

1 cup Egg & Cold Water
1 cup Flour *I recommend to add 2 tablespoons Potato Starch OR Corn Starch
*Note: Equal volume of ‘Egg & Cold Water’ and ‘Flour’ will be mixed together very lightly. DO NOT over mix. The water must be very cold. Some people use iced water to make tempura light and crispy.

Method
  1. Heat Oil to 170°C to 180°C. The right temperature can be tested by dropping a little bit of batter into the oil. If the batter sinks a little into the oil, then comes back the surface, the temperature is right for frying.
  2. Dip the pieces into Tempura Batter and slide them into the oil. Do not fry too many at once.
  3. When the pieces are small such as Beans, Carrot or Onion, fry the pieces in small bunches.
  4. Turn them over a few times. When they are cooked and the batter is light golden and crispy, take them out and lay them on a rack to drain the oil.
  5. Place a sheet of paper on a plate and arrange the Tempura so it presents well. The paper helps soak up any excess oil and makes the dish look nice.
  6. Serve with Tentsuyu (dipping sauce).
  7. It is often served with grated Daikon radish and grated Ginger to add extra flavour to the Tentsuyu (dipping sauce). Sometimes Tempura are served with salt. My grandfather used to enjoy Sweet Potato Tempura with BBQ sauce.