How to make Japanese tempura?

Tempura is not just any frying; rather, it is a light, crispy, and pale batter. This batter technique originates from Japan and is taken so seriously that there are chefs specialized in it. Although the formula for any tempura consists of flour and very cold water, we teach you a homemade tempura recipe so you can make it easily.
Ingredients
2
Servings
  • 1 package Baby mushrooms Freshly® by Eva®, 250 g
  • 1 3/4 cups flour
  • 1/4 cups cornstarch
  • 1/2 teaspoons dry yeast
  • 1 teaspoon garlic powder
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 2 cups water
  • 1 egg yolk
  • 3 cubes ice cubes
  • cooking spray, for frying
  • soy sauce, for accompaniment
  • chives, finely chopped, for accompaniment
Preparation
20 mins
4 mins
Low
  • Mix the flour with the cornstarch, baking powder, garlic powder, and salt in a bowl, fully combine, and set aside. It is advisable to use flour with less gluten for this mixture; that’s why cornstarch is added, and remember that tempura is a very light and fine batter. It is also common to add sugar for a better browning of the batter or to substitute baking powder with baking soda, but these last ingredients are not necessary unless you prefer.
  • In another bowl with water, mix the egg yolk and ice, and combine with a whisk. The ice is to ensure the water's temperature and, consequently, that the batter adheres well to the Freshly® by Eva® baby mushrooms. If you prefer, you can also place the water in the refrigerator the night before. Additionally, some people substitute the water with mineral water, although the traditional way will always be to use very cold tap water.
  • Add the flour all at once and mix without stirring too much, as movement is one of the factors that activates gluten in the flour, resulting in a chewier rather than crispy mixture. It is normal if there are lumps, so don’t be alarmed if your mixture looks like that; it’s better than over-mixing.
  • Before battering the Freshly® by Eva® baby mushrooms in the tempura, heat the oil. Sunflower oil, olive oil, or peanut oil are the most common for frying tempura, so you can use any of them. Use plenty of oil to prevent the vegetables from sinking to the bottom of the pot and losing the tempura batter; if you have a deep fryer, it's a great time to use it; if not, use a deep pot. As a tip, the oil should be between 170 °C and 180 °C.
  • It’s time to fry the Freshly® by Eva® baby mushrooms. Take a mushroom, dip it into the tempura mixture, and fry in sunflower oil while monitoring the temperature. Cooking should not take more than 4 minutes, and adjust the heat as necessary. Remember not to overcrowd the oil with too many mushrooms to avoid them getting stacked; move them only until they start to brown, and do not do it before to prevent the tempura from detaching, as it will still be soft.
  • Remove the mushrooms with a slotted spoon or strainer when they feel firm, crispy, and slightly golden. Drain them on a rack, never on a plate with paper towels, because the coating will become soft by absorbing its own steam. Serve the tempura mushrooms immediately, accompanied by soy sauce and chopped green onions.

Nutritional Information

* * Information per 100g serving, percentage of daily values based on a 2,000 calorie diet.
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