When it comes to cooking, the Japanese never disappoint. They don’t fail to surprise us with their unique and versatile foods. Think sushi, tofu, ramen…yum! These types of foods are probably the reason why we all learned how to use chopsticks. Nowadays, the traditional Japanese dish that has been becoming more and more popular worldwide is the so-called Tempura dish. The tempura was introduced by the Portuguese missionaries back in the 16th century and has stuck with Japanese cuisine ever since. But what is it exactly?
Tempura contains a certain type of food that is dipped and deep-fried in a specific batter. That very batter is called a tempura batter and it’s what makes the fried foods crunchy and super tasty.
How Is Tempura Made?
There is much more to this culinary masterpiece than just the simple recipe. It has to be cooked the right way, mixed with the right ingredients and served correctly. This doesn’t mean that you can’t make it yourself, but it might be a bit of a challenge to get it right. But what is tempura made from?
The Flour
The first and most important step to making this dish is having the best tempura flour. This kind of specialty flour is completely different from your regular or other types of flour and it is the key element for making the right tempura serving. There are many reasons why this kind of flour is the best choice. Not only will it make your dish tasty and perfect, but it also offers various health benefits. The healthy features of this flour entirely depend on the very few ingredients that it contains. The main components are rice flour, baking powder, tapioca starch or potato starch and a little bit of salt.
Some people also like to add colouring agents to give the serving a more eye-catching look, but it’s not quite healthy to do so. All of this means that the tempura dish flour is 100% organic, gluten-free, yeast-free and wheat-free. It makes a good choice for people who are lactose intolerant because it is completely dairy-free as well. People who are prone to allergies don’t have to worry either, because this flour doesn’t contain peanuts or soy which are the most common allergens. This flour is also egg-free, so your cholesterol levels will definitely thank you.
Given the fact that this flour is organic, it will do wonders for your health and immunity. It will aid in digestive processing as well, and make a great substitute for regular flour. In conclusion, getting this flour for your tempura dish will keep both your body and taste buds satisfied.
The Preparation Process
It’s important to mix in the flour with ice-cold water and immediately get to frying. First, make sure the ingredients are cut evenly and are dipped in the batter just a little. You want them to be covered in a thin layer of tempura. Next, choose the right oil. Different oils require different cooking temperatures. You can go for vegetable, sesame or rice bran oil.
Ingredients to Combine With
Without the right ingredients, the batter would be a bit useless. This is because not all types of foods go with tempura, so you have to pick carefully. Stay away from ingredients that are made of higher water content, because they will not cooperate well with the frying oil. The main foods you can choose for frying with tempura are any kind of root vegetables or seafood, mushrooms, green beans, carrots, onions and eggplants. Other not so common choices can be chicken or eggs. The main goal is for the food to be lightly layered with the batter.
Serving it the Right Way
Another important detail is picking out the right dishware for serving. With the right plates, the whole look of the dish can completely change. You should also consider exchanging your regular cutlery for wooden chopsticks. The chopsticks are the only thing that the Japanese use for eating, and it’s for good reasons. After learning how to use them, it really is a satisfying way to eat your food and you can also grab it more precisely. As for serving tempura with other meals or drinks, you can choose a nice dipping sauce, some flavoured salts and your favourite type of wine.
Enjoy
Lastly, do not forget to sit back, relax and enjoy the mouth-watering taste of the tempura. You have to entirely accept the flavour that it brings to your taste buds and patiently chew it up. It is especially tasty if you prepare and share it with your closest friends and family.
Summary
Now that you know how this dish is prepared, there is absolutely nothing stopping you from making it yourself. You can already tell by looking at the recipe that it’s very tasty, or if you are hesitating then maybe try it out at a local Japanese restaurant. In the end, all you will need is your tempura flour, the needed ingredients and some fancy dishware. It can be made in a very short time, and before you know it, you will be losing yourself in its deliciousness.
