Tempura tips :)

We rarely eat deep fried foods, but when we do, it's usually Tempura. I wish I'd taken photos but ah well....

We wanted to make the lightest batter possible this time and found some suggestions from a tv chef named Ming. It worked really well! We bought a bag of RICE flour at the local Korean market. We split a few cups into two bowls. In the first one, we put some Old Bay seasoning. In the second we put some basil and spinach that we'd whirred up in a tiny processor.

Had the shrimp peeled - stuck them through with bamboo sticks to keep them straight. Took some hothouse tomatoes and sliced them very thickly along with a couple leeks cut into circles and thoroughly washed.

Heated up canola oil in a large pot with a candy thermometer to 380.

Now, the different part (although the Rice flour really made the difference too) - we poured into each bowl enough Club Soda to make the mixture about pancake batter texture. Yes, the Club Soda fizz makes it incredibally 'light'.

Did the tomatoes and leeks first in the Basil batter - drained on a rack and then did the shrimp in the Old Bay Batter. Drained same way. I had made the dipping sauce earlier:

1/4 cup low-sodium soy sauce
1 scallion, thinly sliced
1 tablespoon rice vinegar
1 1/4 teaspoons Asian sesame oil
1 teaspoon finely grated ginger
1/2 teaspoon sugar
2 1/2 T hot water

Honest guys, this was the best Tempura we've ever had - light, not greasy and made hot-house tomatoes actually taste good in the dead of winter :) The leek rings were light as a feather and not big honkin' slippery things like the onions.

Dea


This message was edited Jan 29, 2007 5:46 PM