|
Before you begin here a few essential tips to remember: youUll need a
|
deep thick wall pan ( wok o.k. ), filled with 1 inch of peanut oil
|
preferred ( Never lard or shortening ),slice vegetables thin enough
|
for even cooking, fry in small batches and never crowd, and have the
|
temperature of the oil from 340 for vegetables or 360 degrees for
|
fish. Cold water in batter is a must to keep the flour from being
|
sticky .Do a trial try of frying so youUll know how long vegetables
|
or fish need to cook. Author did not mention poultry but I surmise
|
it would be cooked as the fish is. Vegetables and fish were the
|
initial things cooked this way in the history of tempura due to their
|
trade with the Portuguese and Dutch merchants. Make the batter: Beat
|
egg with water. Mix in flour and whisk quickly. Set aside. Make the
|
tempura dip: Boil the dashi no moto ( this is a dried soup stock from
|
fish or poultry usually contained in tea bag type of packing )in the
|
water for 2 or 3 minutes. Turn off the heat and add all the remaining
|
ingredients. Prepare the vegetables or fish but cutting into rings,
|
strips, cubes etc. For fish, dredge in flour before dipping in
|
batter. Vegetables are just dipped into the batter. Let excess batter
|
drip off with either fish or vegetables.( meanwhile you will have had
|
the oil preheated in the pan to the right temperature for either fish
|
or vegetables Drop into oil by hand or use a tbs for vegetable
|
cubes. Take the vegetables or fish out of the oil when slightly
|
browned. Serve the tempura with the Tentsuyu dip along with
|
rice.Place rice in a bowl, top with tempura and a few tbs. of the
|
tentsuyu dip. Or serve tempura over Japanese noodles ( soba ).
|
|
Note all Japanese ingredients may be found readily in most
|
supermarkets or gourmet grocers today. Also, there are other
|
variations in frying tempura; this is one basic historic method.
|
Prior to using peanut oil, sesame seed oil was used mainly when
|
tempura first became popular in Japan, over 400 years ago.
|
|
 |
|
Gourmet Food Deals
|
Grocery Food Deals