From DN Recipes by David Nagy · Food & Beverage

Japanese Tempura Batter for Chicken Fingers or Shrimp

Published

Japanese Tempura Batter for Chicken Fingers or Shrimp

TEMPURA BATTER
READY IN: 10mins  SERVES: 4  YIELD: 2 cups

INGREDIENTS
  • 3⁄4 cup cornstarch
  • 1⁄4 cup flour
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1⁄2 teaspoon salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon pepper
  • 1/4 teaspoon paprika
  • 1⁄4 teaspoon pepper
  • 1⁄2 cup icy cold water (or club soda)
  • 1 egg, slightly beaten

DIRECTIONS
  1. In bowl mix first 5 ingredients; add water and egg and then stir till smooth,.
  2. This batter is enough for 4 cups vegetables or 1 pound of fish or meat

NOTES:
* Choice of flour – All-purpose flour is the most basic flour for tempura batter. Some people prefer using low-protein flours, such as cake flour or a mix with corn starch. For convenience, there is also a pre-mix tempura flour available. Personally, I always make my tempura batter from scratch using all-purpose flour, iced water, and egg.
* The recommended flour to water ratio is 1:1.
* A cold batter is absolutely necessary – Make sure all your ingredients (flour, water, egg) are cold. Keep your water refrigerated so it’s icy cold. This helps the batter cling on to the surface of the ingredients.
* Do not overmix the batter –  Use chopsticks to mix for only a few seconds to at most a minute. It’s even helpful to leave some floury lumps in the batter. A lumpy batter contains more air and irregularities, which gives the tempura a light lacy layer that we’re after.
* Aim for consistency – The finished batter shouldn’t be too thin or too thick. I’ll go for a heavy cream consistency.
* Make batter right before you deep fry to reduce gluten activation.

In Japanese cooking, deep frying is an art, and it takes some know-how and practice to execute desirable results. For the case of tempura, the hot oil enhances the natural sweetness and flavors of whatever you’re frying, at the same time, devoid of greasiness. Let’s take a look at how you can achieve that at home:
* Type(s) of oil for frying –  Most tempura restaurants use untoasted sesame oil or their own special blend of oil. At home, you can also use a neutral-flavored oil such as vegetable or canola oil and simply add a touch of sesame oil for a deliciously nutty aroma.
* Ideal oil temperature for frying –  Depending on the ingredients, we are looking at the range of 320-356°F (160-180°C).
* Keep the oil temperature steady at all times.
* Do not overcrowd the frying pot with ingredients – As a rule of thumb, only half of the oil surface should be covered with ingredients.  So, deep fry in batches.
* Use a thermometer for precise temperature control, especially if you’re not familiar with deep frying.
* Turn the tempura regularly to ensure even cooking.
* Pick up crumbs in the oil between batches – You wouldn’t want any burnt crumbs to attach to your new tempura pieces or dilute the oil flavor.