Tempura, Anyone? - Tilted Forum Project Discussion Community

genuinegirly · 11-26-2006, 06:33 PM

I love a good vegetable tempura. Whenever I go out with friends to eat sushi, I end up eating no sushi - just tempura. It's delicious.

That said, today I attempted to make tempura. I found a recipe for the batter, but it just didn't work out right. The end result was clumpy and frustrating. It coated the veggies thickly and made them taste more like poorly-done fritters than tempura.

Does anyone have a tried-and-true batter recipe for tempura?

MiSo · 11-26-2006, 07:46 PM

i looked online and there are lots of different recipe's for tempura batter.

i used to work in a japanese restaurant and our tempura batter is premade.
all you do is add water. i dont know the brand name is but next time you're out ask the restaurant and maybe you can find it in a local oriental market.

maleficent · 11-27-2006, 03:39 AM

i don't have a recipe in front of me - but when i used to make it -- it called for club soda in place of water and there were always ice cubes in the batter to keep it well chilled.

the club soda keeps the batter light

fatbob · 11-27-2006, 09:08 AM

make a batter using iced sparkling water. don't worry about sifting the flower, the little clumps are good. also use hot hot oil.
should do the trick.
yum yum

snowy · 11-27-2006, 09:44 AM

Yes, absolutely use club soda. Or beer--the brewpub I used to work at made fish and chips with a very tempura-like batter, and the liquid used was beer. Any kind will do, but the lighter kinds are generally better as they don't overflavor the batter.

spindles · 11-27-2006, 06:45 PM

I'll add my agreement to the soda water thing, though I don't agree with onesnowyowl - I think beer would actually make a slightly thicker batter...

Also, make sure the batter is quite runny - you really only want a thin coat.

Ratman · 11-28-2006, 08:41 PM

It doesn't matter what liquid you use, as long as it's cold- ice cold. If you're cooking a lot of tempura, replace a bit of the flour in your recipe with cornstarch, and things will stay crispy longer. Also put your batter bowl into a bigger bowl that has some ice, water and salt at the bottom. This keeps your batter cold. Dredging the food in flour before dipping in the batter makes the batter adhere a bit better to the food. Beat your batter just long enough to mix it, too much and it produces gluten which gives the thick, fritter-like result. I use 80% veg or canola oil, and 20% sesame oil at 340 degrees. Cook just a few pieces at a time to keep the oil temp consistent, and lots of room around the food for even cooking. Good luck!

genuinegirly · 11-29-2006, 06:17 PM

Wow! Great advice, folks!

ktspktsp · 11-30-2006, 07:04 PM

Cool, that sounds like something I want to try to make

.

So, what are the best veggies to cook with tempura?

Ratman · 12-01-2006, 06:05 PM

ktspktsp, if you're in Seattle during Christmas, try to get to Uwajimaya and stock up on tempura batter mix. Just about any veg will do. If the batter is right, you can see the color of the veg through the finished coating, so carrots, peppers, broccoli, cauli, mushrooms, sweet potatoes, pumpkin, squash. Just make sure the slices are fairly thin and the florets are small enough to cook in a few minutes. I've had, but not made yet, tomato wedges tempura'd that were unbelievable in taste and appearance. If you're really adventurous, edible leaves and flowers are great in tempura.

ktspktsp · 12-03-2006, 07:29 PM

Cool! Thanks for the tips Ratman

. I'll be sure to check out this Uwajimaya place!

11-26-2006, 06:33 PM	#1 (permalink)
genuinegirly Eat your vegetables Super Moderator Location: Arabidopsis-ville	Tempura, Anyone? I love a good vegetable tempura. Whenever I go out with friends to eat sushi, I end up eating no sushi - just tempura. It's delicious. That said, today I attempted to make tempura. I found a recipe for the batter, but it just didn't work out right. The end result was clumpy and frustrating. It coated the veggies thickly and made them taste more like poorly-done fritters than tempura. Does anyone have a tried-and-true batter recipe for tempura? __________________ "Sometimes I have to remember that things are brought to me for a reason, either for my own lessons or for the benefit of others." Cynthetiq "violence is no more or less real than non-violence." roachboy

11-27-2006, 03:39 AM	#3 (permalink)
maleficent Junkie Moderator Emeritus Location: Chicago	i don't have a recipe in front of me - but when i used to make it -- it called for club soda in place of water and there were always ice cubes in the batter to keep it well chilled. the club soda keeps the batter light __________________ Free your heart from hatred. Free your mind from worries. Live simply. Give more. Expect less.

11-27-2006, 09:08 AM	#4 (permalink)
fatbob Insane Location: Edinburgh	make a batter using iced sparkling water. don't worry about sifting the flower, the little clumps are good. also use hot hot oil. should do the trick. yum yum __________________ change happens when those who don't normally speak get heard by those who don't normally listen.

11-27-2006, 09:44 AM	#5 (permalink)
snowy Kick Ass Kunoichi Location: Oregon	Yes, absolutely use club soda. Or beer--the brewpub I used to work at made fish and chips with a very tempura-like batter, and the liquid used was beer. Any kind will do, but the lighter kinds are generally better as they don't overflavor the batter. __________________ If I am not better, at least I am different. --Jean-Jacques Rousseau

11-27-2006, 06:45 PM	#6 (permalink)
spindles Mine is an evil laugh Location: Sydney, Australia	I'll add my agreement to the soda water thing, though I don't agree with onesnowyowl - I think beer would actually make a slightly thicker batter... Also, make sure the batter is quite runny - you really only want a thin coat. __________________ who hid my keyboard's PANIC button?

11-26-2006, 07:46 PM	#2 (permalink)
MiSo Psycho	i looked online and there are lots of different recipe's for tempura batter. i used to work in a japanese restaurant and our tempura batter is premade. all you do is add water. i dont know the brand name is but next time you're out ask the restaurant and maybe you can find it in a local oriental market.

11-28-2006, 08:41 PM	#7 (permalink)
Ratman Addict Location: Somewhere... Across the sea...	It doesn't matter what liquid you use, as long as it's cold- ice cold. If you're cooking a lot of tempura, replace a bit of the flour in your recipe with cornstarch, and things will stay crispy longer. Also put your batter bowl into a bigger bowl that has some ice, water and salt at the bottom. This keeps your batter cold. Dredging the food in flour before dipping in the batter makes the batter adhere a bit better to the food. Beat your batter just long enough to mix it, too much and it produces gluten which gives the thick, fritter-like result. I use 80% veg or canola oil, and 20% sesame oil at 340 degrees. Cook just a few pieces at a time to keep the oil temp consistent, and lots of room around the food for even cooking. Good luck! __________________ The difference between theory and reality is that in theory there is no difference. "God made man, but he used the monkey to do it." DEVO

11-29-2006, 06:17 PM	#8 (permalink)
genuinegirly Eat your vegetables Super Moderator Location: Arabidopsis-ville	Wow! Great advice, folks! __________________ "Sometimes I have to remember that things are brought to me for a reason, either for my own lessons or for the benefit of others." Cynthetiq "violence is no more or less real than non-violence." roachboy

11-30-2006, 07:04 PM	#9 (permalink)
ktspktsp Addict Location: Reykjavik, Iceland	Cool, that sounds like something I want to try to make . So, what are the best veggies to cook with tempura?

12-01-2006, 06:05 PM	#10 (permalink)
Ratman Addict Location: Somewhere... Across the sea...	ktspktsp, if you're in Seattle during Christmas, try to get to Uwajimaya and stock up on tempura batter mix. Just about any veg will do. If the batter is right, you can see the color of the veg through the finished coating, so carrots, peppers, broccoli, cauli, mushrooms, sweet potatoes, pumpkin, squash. Just make sure the slices are fairly thin and the florets are small enough to cook in a few minutes. I've had, but not made yet, tomato wedges tempura'd that were unbelievable in taste and appearance. If you're really adventurous, edible leaves and flowers are great in tempura. __________________ The difference between theory and reality is that in theory there is no difference. "God made man, but he used the monkey to do it." DEVO

12-03-2006, 07:29 PM	#11 (permalink)
ktspktsp Addict Location: Reykjavik, Iceland	Cool! Thanks for the tips Ratman . I'll be sure to check out this Uwajimaya place!