With the husb out tonight I figured I'd try something new for dinner. I had a craving for Japanese food and since my favourite spot is an hour away from here, I tried to make my own tempura.First things first....try to find a tempura batter recipe. Well, that's easier said than done! There are so many variations on the web. I tried one from a blog I found from a guy who lives in Japan. I mean, you'd think that would be the best option, right? Not so much. I wanted to make the crispy, light, airy stuff you get at a restaurant. Mine was much more dense and more like something you'd see on a piece of takeout Haddock with chips. Not sure where things went wrong. Could have been the batter, maybe it was the oil temperature or perhaps the seafood was too watery.
What is your tempura batter recipe? PLEASE send me a comment if you have one (plus your tempura secret)!
I'm going to post pictures anyway because I said in my profile that I would post even on bad days. This is one of them. Obviously, there is no need to follow my recipe but I am going to post it so you can tell me if the recipe looks similar to yours or not.
Recipe for tempura batter:
- 1 cup all purpose flour
- 1 cup ice cold water
- 1 egg, beaten
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp baking powder
Here are some pictures of the shrimp & squid tempura...it looks better than it tastes! Don't you love that I actually have a bonsai tree on my table:)
1 comment:
Honestly, don't feel bad about your tempura. It's a lot harder than it seems, considering the batter is usually just egg, water and flour. I have yet to master the perfect tempura similar to those at Japanese restaurants. But I have some close - just not consistently. What's helped me is to dredge the things I want to tempura with cornstarch. This absorbs extra moisture and allows the batter to stick better. Another thing is to make sure your batter is as cold as possible. In addition to using ice cold water, I let the batter chill in the fridge for 10-15 minutes before using. And lastly, get the oil as hot as possible. Test the oil by dropping a small drop of tempura batter and wait for it to bloom. Another tip is to parboil some of the vegetables before battering up so that it the tempura batter doesn't could up faster than the inside. HTH!
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