Tempting Tempura
A dainty dish from the Far East, tempura puts a whole new spin on deep-fried and is truly a masterpiece of a meal. Click the following pictures to find out how to create our fabulous vegetable, chicken, and shrimp tempura dishes.
Tempura was brought to Japan by Portuguese missionaries in the 16th century. First used as a technique to fry shrimp on meatless Fridays, tempura soon became a staple in Japanese culture. Although we are used to deep-fried foods in the United States, the deep-frying of tempura is very different. It uses a much lighter batter, and tempura holds less grease than the foods we’re used to. The batter forms a thin, crispy, airy layer that puffs up around the food. The Japanese pride themselves in using only the freshest meats and vegetables, and tempura is served immediately after frying. This ensures that only the best-quality food reaches the plate.
