Vegetable Tempura 野菜の天ぷら

January 20, 2013

by · 114 comments

in Appetizers, Side Dishes, Vegetables, Tofu & Eggs, Vegetarian

If you wonder which recipes are most popular on Just One Cookbook, I’d tell you.  As of today, my Japanese Cheesecake recipe gets the most visits, then Shrimp Tempura over the past 2 years.  I have received a lot (really quite a bit) of requests for Vegetable Tempura recipe, so let’s talk about it today!

Vegetable Tempura | JustOneCookbook.com

By the way, if you are curious which recipes make up the rest of my Top 5, they are  Green Tea Ice Cream, Chicken Teriyaki and Green Tea & White Chocolate Cookies.  What are your favorite recipes on Just One Cookbook?

Tempura is a really popular dish in Japanese restaurants.  Just in case you never had it before, it’s a Japanese dish of seafood or vegetables that have dipped in batter and deep fried.

Vegetable Tempura | JustOneCookbook.com

Before I start talking abut how to make Tempura, please understand that even for the Japanese, making perfect Tempura is not easy.  It requires a lot of skills and practice so don’t be discouraged if your first tempura does not look like ones from restaurants.  But how do you get that crispy texture without the food being too oily?

The key for perfect tempura is batter and the temperature of oil.  I created a few steps below to go over tips for making tempura.

Vegetable Tempura | JustOneCookbook.com

Tempura Batter

Most of Tempura chefs recommend that flour to water ratio should be 1:1.  Some recipe requires an egg (or two depending on the amount of flour and water), and some don’t.  It’s up to you.  When the batter is too thin, the ingredients won’t have much of batter around it and there is no fluffy and crisp texture to it.  When the batter is too thick, you feel like you are eating the chewy exterior.

Please remember few tips about batter.  Always mix the batter using chopsticks for only a few seconds to at most 1 minute, leaving lumps in the mixture on purpose.  Overmixing the batter will result in activation of wheat gluten, which causes the flour mixture to become chewy and dough-like when fried.

Cold batter is absolutely necessary for the unique fluffy and crisp tempura.  All the ingredients (water, egg, and flour) must be cold prior to making batter, and batter has to be made RIGHT BEFORE you deep fry and has to be kept cold at all times to avoid activation of wheat gluten.

Vegetable Tempura | JustOneCookbook.com

The Oil

The Tempura specialty restaurant uses a special blend of oil that is a combination of many kinds of oil.  Each restaurant has their own secret recipe and blend that they perfected over years.  At home, you can simply enhance the flavor by adding sesame oil into the vegetable oil.

The temperature has to be between 320-356°F (160°C – 180°C) depending on how long it takes to cook through the ingredients.  If it takes a long time to cook, then deep fry at lower temperature because high temperature will cook the batter too fast and inside won’t be cooked thoroughly.  And remember, cold battered ingredients will lower the oil temperature quickly; therefore, if you need to deep fry vegetables at 338°F (170°C), you need to bring the oil to 356-365°F (180-185°C) first.

Vegetable Tempura | JustOneCookbook.com

How to Deep Fry

If you ask me what’s the most difficult part of making Tempura, I’d say it’s to keep the right temperature at all times while deep frying.  It cannot be too high or too low.  Most of the time I do not require thermometer,  but if you are not used to deep frying, I highly recommend you to get a thermometer to precisely know at what temperature you are deep frying.  The right sound of tempura being deep fried is like a light sound.  Like cider just being opened.  That kind of light bubbly sound.

In order to maintain the correct temperature, do not over crowd with ingredients when deep frying.  As a guidance remember just half of oil surface should be covered with ingredients.  When you put too many ingredients in at once, the oil temperature will drop too quickly.

What if the oil gets too hot?  The quick solution to this is to add a bit of extra oil or add more cold battered ingredients.  Like I said, it is all about temperature control when deep frying.

Lastly, please pick up crumbs in the oil between batches.  The burnt crumb will attach to your new tempura if you don’t pick them up, and oil will get darker once the crumbs become burnt and it leave a bad flavor in the oil.

*****

Hope I didn’t overwhelm you.  It’s simple process yet it requires good skills and practice to make perfect Tempura.  Once you start making good quality tempura at home, yours will taste more delicious and less oily than ones from majority of Japanese restaurants.  Good luck! :)

Vegetable Tempura | JustOneCookbook.com

Vegetable Tempura Recipe

Prep Time: 25 minutes

Cook Time: 45 minutes

Yield: Serves 2-4

Vegetable Tempura Recipe

Ingredients:

  • Oil for deep frying (Vegetable oil:Sesame oil=10:1)
  • Tempura Ingredients
  • 1 small Japanese sweet potato (satsumaimo)
  • 1/8 medium Kabocha squash
  • 2 inch peeled and precooked lotus root (“Renkon no Mizuni”)
  • 2 King oyster mushrooms
  • 4 Shiso leaves
  • Tempura Batter (rule is egg water:flour=1:1)
  • 1 cup (250ml) egg water (1 cold egg (40ml) + 210 ml ice water)
  • 1 cup (250ml) cold all purpose flour
  • Tempura Sauce
  • 3/4 cup (200ml) dashi stock (Kombu dashi for vegetarian)
  • 2 Tbsp. mirin
  • 2 tsp. sugar
  • 3 Tbsp. soy sauce
  • 2 inch daikon radish

Instructions:

  1. First, make Tempura Sauce. Combine dashi stock, mirin, sugar, and soy sauce in a small saucepan and bring it to a boil. Then lower the heat and let it simmer until sugar is completely dissolved. Remove from heat and set aside.
  2. Now cut vegetables. Slice Japanese sweet potato into thin pieces and soak in water for 15-30 minutes to remove excess starch. Then dry them using paper towels.
  3. Cut kabocha squash and lotus root into thin slices. Soak lotus root in vinegar water (2 cups water + 1 tsp. vinegar).
  4. Cut King Oyster Mushroom into thin slices.
  5. Discard the head of eggplant first, then cut it in half lengthwise. Then cut the eggplant lengthwise into very thin (about 1/8 inch) slices leaving the top 1-inch part intact. Gently press down on the eggplants to fan the slices out.
  6. Heat the 1 ½ inch of oil in a pot. When the oil temperature is the desired temperature, start making the batter.*
  7. Crack the egg into very cold water.
  8. Whisk vigorously and discard the form on the surface.
  9. As you slowly pour the egg mixture into the flour, mix the butter with chopsticks in a figure 8 motion (mix about at most 1 minute). Do not over mix and please leave some lumps in butter. Keep the batter cold all the time.**
  10. Start deep frying from the root vegetables as oil temperature needs to be a bit lower than non-root vegetables. If the ingredient is wet, dry them with paper towel before dredging in the batter.***
  11. For root vegetables, deep fry around 320°F (160°C). For vegetables and mushrooms, 338-356°F (170-180°C). Do not over crowd with ingredients. Remember you only put ingredients taking up about 1/2 of oil surface area.**** For shiso leaves, sprinkle a bit of sifted flour on the back of leaves and dip only the back of leaf into the batter and deep fry for 15 seconds.*****
  12. Transfer tempura to a wired rack or paper towel to remove excess oil.
  13. Between batches, make sure to remove the crumbs, which will burn and turn the oil darker if you don’t take it out.
  14. Grate daikon and squeeze water out. Serve with tempura and when you eat it, place the grated daikon in tempura sauce. Serve tempura immediately.

Notes

* Make batter right before deep frying to avoid activation of wheat gluten.

** Add 1-2 ice cubes in the batter or put the batter bowl in a larger bowl containing ice water in order to keep the batter cold all the time.

*** While tempura is being fried, moisture from the ingredients will be evaporated and tempura will become crispy. However, if the ingredients have extra moisture, the tempura will become soggy after being deep fried.

**** When you put too many ingredients, the oil temperature will drop quickly. Make sure to keep the right temperature all the time.

***** Usually vegetable doesn't require extra dusting with flour (like we need for seafood like Shrimp Tempura or Kakiage), but shiso leaves require dusting which will require as a glue and the batter will stick to the leaves.

http://justonecookbook.com/blog/recipes/vegetable-tempura/

Itadakimasu!

Vegetable Tempura | JustOneCookbook.com

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{ 109 comments… read them below or add one }

1 Baby Sumo January 20, 2013 at 4:25 pm

Your tempura batter looks perfect.. light and not oily! :)

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2 Raymund January 20, 2013 at 5:14 pm

Everything looks perfect.
I didnt know you can use lotus roots in tempura, I have some leftovers and this is a great idea on how to use them

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3 Cristina January 20, 2013 at 5:31 pm

Great tutorial with all the steps and supporting images, Nami! Now, I am craving tempura for dinner (instead of the fish tacos we’re making!). Love this!

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4 yummychunklet January 20, 2013 at 5:57 pm

I love vegetable tempura! Yum!

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5 john@kitchenriffs January 20, 2013 at 7:13 pm

Great, instructive post. I haven’t made tempura, but I love it (who can resist fried things?), so I really should. I tend to prefer vegetable tempura, so this recipe is right up my alley. Great tips on controlling the temperature of the oil. Good stuff – thanks.

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6 Foodiewife January 20, 2013 at 7:13 pm

Thank you for sharing this great tutorial. I love tempura, and sweet potatoes are my favorite way. I think I can do this, myself!

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7 Chef and Sommelier January 20, 2013 at 7:43 pm

Hi Nami! Thanks for sharing the tips on the batter and the oil temperature. Agree that these 2 are the keys to good tempura.

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8 Vivalabbird January 20, 2013 at 8:03 pm

Mmmm… Looks so delicious! I must say, I made your eggplant parmigiana recipe and your deep fry instructions were spot on. I think I have deep fried less than 5 times in my life before your instructions, and it turned out!!!

Anyways, just want to reiterate that you give really awesome and easy to follow deep fry instructions that works!

My favourite recipe of yours is…no surprise, “Mentaiko Pasta”! You know from my ig that
I am obsessed with that recipe of yours :)

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9 Nami January 23, 2013 at 10:02 pm

Hi Vivi! I’m happy to hear my instructions were helpful. I sometimes worry if my explanations are clear enough. Thank you for your feedback! Glad to hear you felt comfortable deep frying.

I have mentaiko in my freezer. I should totally make that soon. :) Thank you Vivi!

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10 Mel January 20, 2013 at 8:04 pm

Hi Nami
Thank you for this post….as I loves anything tempura. Your tutorial pic has always been very helpful for us to achieve the best result.

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11 Kate@Diethood January 20, 2013 at 8:06 pm

YUMMMMM! And that lotus root is just too pretty!

One of my very faves is your Japanese Cheesecake… It is on my to do list.

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12 Laura (Tutti Dolci) January 20, 2013 at 8:12 pm

I love vegetable tempura! This looks so good, Nami – I’ll trade you a platter for the dessert of your choice :) .

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13 Maureen | Orgasmic Chef January 20, 2013 at 9:32 pm

Tempura sauce.. 4/3 of a cup of dashi stock? I’ll go with 200ml

I love tempura vegetables but I’ve only ever had fantastic ones in Japan.

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14 Nami January 20, 2013 at 9:39 pm

Thanks for catching my mistake – it’s 3/4 cup. :)

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15 Blackswan January 20, 2013 at 9:52 pm

I love Tempura & I’ve always thought that Tempura is a cheap thing. I realized I was so wrong when my Japanese friend brought me to a Tempura restaurant at Ropongi Hills. Their price? $200++ per person!!

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16 Kankana January 20, 2013 at 10:11 pm

I can never get enough of dip fried food and tempura has always been one of my fav. I somehow can never land up making it crispy enough! It’s late night Nami and not a right time to crave for fried food :)

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17 albertocook January 20, 2013 at 10:55 pm

I love this!

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18 Mandy - The Complete Cook Book January 20, 2013 at 11:28 pm

Nami, your home is one I could happily eat in every single day. Delicious!
:-) Mandy xo

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19 Lara January 20, 2013 at 11:28 pm

Looks fantastic. Just one more question: how do you keep the fried tempura hot? The few times I tried to make it, we just ate every fried batch and went back to the kitchen. Not ho good, if you want to make it for guests. Any suggestions? Thanks!!

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20 Nami January 21, 2013 at 4:35 pm

Hi Lara! Ideally, Tempura should be eaten right after deep fried. I’d deep fry the amount you serve first, then do a second batch (for second round) if it’s for guests. Otherwise you just have to drain excess oil from the tempura after fried. Placing tempura vertically helps to drain excess oil. Use wire rack rather than paper towel, so bottom is not going to be soggy. When you serve, re-heat using a toaster oven and that helps in terms of crispiness. Hope this helps!

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21 Ella-Home Cooking Adventure January 21, 2013 at 12:26 am

Well, this recipe came just at the right time:) Last week we’ve been to a local Japanese Restaurant with some friends, and among others we served Vegetable Tempura which I loved a lot. I was about to search for a recipe when I saw your post about this:). Maybe I will have the courage to try it.

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22 Andrea January 21, 2013 at 12:32 am

Nami, if you really would like to know which one is my favorite posts on your blog,I have a new favorite, it must be today´s Tempura – you have given such very valuable tips and techniques on making perfect Tempura, I am amazed at your skills! My favorite is the shiso leaf, it looks just so pretty – anyone being served your platter with the perfectly prepared Tempura should just be totally impressed – I am by just looking at it!
Hope all is well with your and your family! Greetings from the very snowy and cold Bonn!

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23 The Ninja Baker January 21, 2013 at 12:54 am

Great tips, Nami-san! Thank you.
Very much appreciate, too, your ちょう美味しいそう-very yummy looking green tea ice cream recipe =)

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24 kat January 21, 2013 at 1:20 am

very nice!

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25 Helene Dsouza I Masala Herb January 21, 2013 at 1:28 am

Oh I never thought of using chopsticks to coat the veggies. The prepacked flour always indicated to add 1:1 ratio of water and flour, but I think less water is always required. Otherwise the batter is to liquid. I loved your tips Nami and I am looking forwards to try them out soon.

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26 Choc Chip Uru January 21, 2013 at 2:34 am

I love this my friend I simply veges like this :)

Cheers
Choc Chip Uru

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27 My Kitchen Stories January 21, 2013 at 2:54 am

Looks so good nami. I havent made it in years. I cant remember using yolk either, ill have to give it another try. ( maybe Ill be able to get the kid to eat vegetables)

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28 Hotly Spiced January 21, 2013 at 3:51 am

I love tempura. I don’t cook it myself but I love to order it at restaurants. It’s one of my most favourite finds on a menu. And as for your Top 5, I could never guess the Top 5 as my Top 5 is a constant source of bewilderment to me xx

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29 Amy (Savory Moments) January 21, 2013 at 3:52 am

These tempura vegetables are beautiful! I love the lotus root! I love the interesting vegetables you chose.

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30 dassana January 21, 2013 at 5:20 am

the veg tempura looks perfect. perfectly fried with no traces of oil.

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31 Ramona January 21, 2013 at 5:53 am

I love tempura. It is a hard balance to get a crispy, light coating without too much oil. You did it perfectly… of course. :) I know I could get my kids to eat a lot more veggies this way. :)

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32 Kimby January 21, 2013 at 6:20 am

Nami, I’m grateful for your tempura tutorials (this one and the one for shrimp — the video “how-to” for the shrimp was incredible — thanks for the links.) Can’t wait to try it!

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33 Muna Kenny January 21, 2013 at 7:29 am

I like your batter Nami, I don’t think it absorbs oil, and looks crunchy!

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34 Sanjeeta kk January 21, 2013 at 8:01 am

Wow..such useful tips, Nami.. avoiding over mixing and adding cold water will help me go a long way to make a perfect Tempura the next time..thanks!

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35 Sandra's Easy Cooking January 21, 2013 at 8:09 am

Oh your veggie tempura looks amazing and very delicious. I tried before and loved every bite. Awesome post, and of course pictures. I really love all your recipes, simple yet packed with flavor…I made many of your recipes and they never ever turned out bad because your easy to follow instructions are just what we need. Keep ‘em coming! :)

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36 Eri January 21, 2013 at 8:18 am

OMG I;m just dying for vegetable tempura I can eat a whole basket by my self! I just looove your pictures!
I love every single recipe on your blog Nami.

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37 The Squishy Monster January 21, 2013 at 8:21 am

One of my favorites is always the eggplant =)

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38 Sammie January 21, 2013 at 8:34 am

I LOOOOVE tempura! Nami, my brother would totally love this if I could make it for him! haha..

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39 Sawsan @chef in disguise January 21, 2013 at 10:26 am

Thank you for all the helpful tips and notes Nami, especially the ones about the oil temperature
I have never made tempura but it has been on my list forever. Now I know where to come when I want to make it, thanx Nami

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40 Denise Browning@From Brazil To You January 21, 2013 at 10:49 am

Thanks for the delicious and easy recipe plus the valuable tips on how to make tempura correctly, Nami!

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41 Mark January 21, 2013 at 10:57 am

Thanks for the great tips, Nami! Those lotus root and sweet potatoes slices look really delicious.

I tried making it before, but I just can’t come close the real thing in Japan. When the Japan Fly Fishers group had a small event at a member’s farm in the mountains outside of Tokyo, the owner took me around the farm to pick up these wild greens (I can’t remember the name), and then mushrooms he was growing on the back of logs. Then we took them back to the house and fried them up in tempura batter. I was forever hooked on tempura after that. Thanks for bringing back those memories!

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42 Rosa January 21, 2013 at 12:21 pm

Beautiful and very tempting! I love the fact that you’ve also used kabocha squash to make them.

Cheers,

Rosa

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43 Kristy January 21, 2013 at 12:32 pm

I love this lesson on tempura Nami! Those tips are going to come in very, very useful. I had no idea about not activating the wheat gluten. I’m looking forward to trying my hand at this! I hope your week is going well. Have a wonderful day!

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44 Elizabeth @Mango_Queen January 21, 2013 at 1:16 pm

Hi Nami! I just love tempura, and the vegetables are my fave on the platter when we eat out. But when I cook it at home, I know what you mean about the batter and temperature of the oil. I love how your vegetables look in the photos, so crisp and crunchy. I’m going to make some soon. Thanks for the recipe. Happy Monday!

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45 donna mikasa January 21, 2013 at 1:23 pm

Your vegetable tempura looks delicious! I usually julienne some carrots, gobo, and string beans but leaving them sliced looks so professional! Thank you for your tips on the batter and oil temperature, too!

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46 Nami January 23, 2013 at 10:05 pm

When I have some leftover root vegetables, I usually cut them into julienne strips and make Kaikiage Don. It’s a really quick meal that everyone loves… and I usually put a lot of satsumaimo just for myself and my son. :) So good!

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47 Eileen January 21, 2013 at 1:44 pm

This tempura looks amazing! Obviously paying close attention to all those details really helps make a stunning final dish. :)

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48 Lail | With A Spin January 21, 2013 at 1:49 pm

Nami – You are seriously making me drool! I want some now.

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49 nic January 21, 2013 at 1:53 pm

Nami, it looks divine and you made it look so simple!

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50 Nami January 21, 2013 at 4:28 pm

Thank you Nic! :) Hope you will give it a try! ;)

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51 Mi Vida en un Dulce January 21, 2013 at 2:03 pm

I have your Japanese Cheesecake in my to do list, I found your recipe delicious.
I saw in a food program that the chef made the batter for tempura inside a bowl with cold water, and he always remind it has to be cold and fresh.
The thing with fried food as that we always think on the fat, but as you always mention, you don’t have if the oil is on a well temperature. Since that, I always use a thermometer…ja,ja,ja…

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52 Mr. Three-Cookies January 21, 2013 at 2:28 pm

Now I really feel like eating tempura. I will go to bed with tempura on my mind. I hope I have some in my dreams:)
Interesting to read that Japanese Cheesecake is #1. Food blog readers and desserts…

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53 Juliana January 21, 2013 at 5:27 pm

I love tempura…especially the kabocha…yours look so good, really professionally done Nami.
Have a great week!

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54 Natalie January 21, 2013 at 6:13 pm

I love love love veggie tempura! I have never made my own before but looks like its time to start :)

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55 Linda | The Urban Mrs January 21, 2013 at 6:28 pm

I feel soooo much better after reading you saying making tempura isn’t as easy as people think. Phew… yours look so lovely and very light. Growing up, I’ve always loved tempura. Who doesn’t? They’re crispy, crunchy, and tasty.

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56 Jeff January 21, 2013 at 7:44 pm

Hooray! Tempura batter! I needed a good one to use, and you’ve met my wishes! Thanks Nami!

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57 mjskit January 21, 2013 at 8:41 pm

So how did you know that making tempura was on my list of foods to make in 2013? :) Perfect timing my friend! Love the tips with the chopstick stirring and cold batter. Would never have thought of those. O.k. – so I’m pinning this so I can have it once the crisp spring vegetables start showing back up in the market. Tempura is about the only way I like to eat broccoli. Whoops – I didn’t say that out-loud did I? :)
So what are my favorite of your recipes? After this past summer, I have to say the ice creams. :)

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58 Balvinder January 21, 2013 at 8:50 pm

I will make some with gluten free flour.

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59 Lorraine @ Not Quite Nigella January 21, 2013 at 11:06 pm

There are so many great tips in this post Nami and some things that I never really considered like activating the gluten if you whisk too much. It makes sense of course! :D

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60 faithy January 21, 2013 at 11:31 pm

Soo perfect! Normally i don’t like tempura but seeing yours making me change my mind.

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61 Nami January 23, 2013 at 10:06 pm

You don’t like tempura? I wish I can change your mind totally. :)

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62 Rowena @ Apron and Sneakers January 22, 2013 at 1:02 am

Even if tempura is deep fried, they always feel so light. I can’t wait to try your recipe. Ebi tempura and vegetables are some of my favorite Japanese food. Thanks for showing the procedure Nami!

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63 Fern January 22, 2013 at 2:07 am

That’s a fantastic tempura tutorial! And they look picture perfect! After seeing your photos, I’d rather you cook them for me!! :)

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64 Christine @ Cooking Crusade January 22, 2013 at 2:30 am

Vegetable tempura is one of my absolute favourite Japanese dishes. I especially love onion tempura! This looks so beautiful Nami :)

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65 Mallika January 22, 2013 at 2:31 am

Your vegetable tempura looks absolutely stunning. I’ve had veg tempura on a couple of occasions and this one surely makes me drool. Love your step by steps. Sure to give this a try sometime soon!

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66 Sissi January 22, 2013 at 3:05 am

Nami, I’m impressed by your tempura. I do prepare tempura from time to time (I don’t know why, but I long for it rather when it’s warm outside…) so I know how difficult it is. Some products are easier, some more difficult and as you say it takes practice to obtain satisfactory results. I still have to work hard to obtain such perfect tempura as you!
I love eringi, I have it quite often grilled, but I would have never thought of “tempuring” it! Excellent idea.
It’s interesting to see your most popular recipes… It’s impossible to say which of your recipes is my favourite. I make so many of them! The one I prepare most often is korokke though… (The one with meat, mushrooms and carrots). A real comfort food for us. Thank you!

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67 Orchidea January 22, 2013 at 4:10 am

Oh… Nami… I love tempura! Thanks for this beuatiful article, I have saved it and soon I will test your recipe and procedure.
Ciao.

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68 Asmita January 22, 2013 at 4:52 am

Wow,
This looks so perfectly done! I was looking for king prawns at the Asian market to make shrimp tempura but they were out of it. I will try it with these veggies first. I have most of the ingredients except for the dashi stock.
Cannot wait to try this!

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69 Dara January 22, 2013 at 7:44 am

Veggie tempura is my favorite thing ever! My fiance and I rate various restaurants on the quality of their tempura. Thank you for this tutorial, I have no clue how to make myself.

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70 Minnie@thelady8home January 22, 2013 at 8:14 am

I am saving this. I do a lot of deep fries, and though I am mostly guided by instincts, your explanation makes so much sense to what I have experienced when frying anything. Like too much mixing making the exterior chewy…..lovely!!! Those tempuras look mouthwatering.

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71 Dedy Oktavianus Pardede / Dentist Chef January 22, 2013 at 10:27 am

hi nami, i love your pictorial…
i just know that perilla/sisho is edible in tempura, i just curious about the taste….
i like beer/sake battered tempura even more instead regular water actually

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72 Laura|My Little Gourmet January 22, 2013 at 11:08 am

Wow, this looks amazing! And I am loving the step by step tutorial! You’ve inspired me to dare to give it a try… :)

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73 A Little Yumminess January 22, 2013 at 11:24 am

Love vegetable tempura but it’s something we leave to Japanese restaurants :)

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74 Grubarazzi (@Grubarazzi) January 22, 2013 at 11:36 am

Great tips on making a perfect tempura, and beautiful photos!

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75 claire @ the realistic nutritionist January 22, 2013 at 12:44 pm

I have always wanted to make tempora but I don’t have a fryer! Either way, Love this! so perfectly fried!

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76 Georgia @ The Comfort of Cooking January 22, 2013 at 2:10 pm

Such a lovely tempura, Nami! It looks absolutely scrumptious and perfectly golden brown. Thank you for sharing one of my favorite dishes!

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77 Rhonda (@diningalone) January 22, 2013 at 3:11 pm

I recently tried tempura green beans with a garlic mayonnaise, it was so good!! Yours looks much better though :)

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78 nipponnin January 22, 2013 at 4:40 pm

わあ、ご苦労様。これポストに時間かかったでしょう?いつもプロ並みのレシピだね。とても参考になります。主婦歴長いけど、私はここまで手を入れませんよ。というかかなりの手抜きでやります。不思議な事に今日はなす、さつまいも、エリンギ、シソを持ってます。では晩御飯はこれかな?

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79 Liz January 22, 2013 at 6:24 pm

You fried these to perfection, Nami! The batter coating looks so light and wonderful! And the lotus root is so gorgeous!!! I bet this will be a VERY popular post :)

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80 Vicki Bensinger January 22, 2013 at 6:28 pm

I haven’t had tempura in years but always loved it when I did. You share so many great tips to insure perfection. Now I’d like to try and make some of my own. Thanks for sharing. Sorry I haven’t been by lately!

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81 Lina Ishijima January 22, 2013 at 6:56 pm

I will test your recipe :)
Thank you Nami

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82 Nami January 23, 2013 at 10:25 pm

Hi Lina! I hope you will enjoy this tempura dish. Thank you for writing! :)

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83 Laura @ Family Spice January 22, 2013 at 8:07 pm

WOW! Who knew so much went into tempura? I sure didn’t. No wonder it’s so light and airy and addictingly good. Good thing I can’t reach in and grab this because I’d eat the whole plate! I owe you a big email, Nami. Miss ya!

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84 Kitchen Belleicious January 22, 2013 at 8:26 pm

oh how perfectly crispy and yet moist! I would love to eat at your restaurant- you really should open one up! You have the most amazing food that pulls people from all backgrounds to drool over your food!

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85 Shirley January 22, 2013 at 8:40 pm

I love tempura!! Who doesn’t, right? Everything looks so good.

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86 Stephanie @ Eat. Drink. Love. January 22, 2013 at 10:13 pm

I love tempura and am so happy to see a veggie one here! It looks perfect!

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87 Sonia aka Nasi Lemak Lover January 23, 2013 at 6:53 am

Every dishes in your blog i also love it!! hehehe..Thanks for sharing the tips on how to get nice Tempura..

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88 Kelly January 23, 2013 at 9:06 am

Wow your tempura is so perfect! The recipe I used last time didn’t have egg in it. Looks like I gotta try yours!

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89 Food Jaunts January 23, 2013 at 10:44 am

This looks divine Nami. I love tempura and thanks for the step by step. I’ve definitely had some times where my tempura batter turned out too thick/thin so I’ll be referring to this post often!

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90 PolaM January 23, 2013 at 11:08 am

Great to have your secrets! Now I can make my own batter!

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91 Lori Lynn January 23, 2013 at 5:15 pm

A very informative post Nami! Will refer back to this one for sure.
I am salivating for your perfect tempura.
LL

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92 Evelyne@cheapethniceatz January 23, 2013 at 5:51 pm

Not sure it is a recipe I would attempt myself but it is great to read about it wityh so many tips. I will enjoyit in restaurants still, although I am sure it does not compare to home made. And there has to be shrimp too ;-)

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93 Jean | Lemons &Anchovies January 23, 2013 at 6:22 pm

What a great resource for preparing tempura at home–I have never stopped to consider all the nuances that would make the difference between good and bad tempura. My favorite has always been the sweet potato. This is an awesome post, Nami. :)

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94 Gina January 23, 2013 at 8:01 pm

I still want the cheesecake, lol. But I’d have to say this is one of my favorites also. My oldest daughter ordered this all the time. I’ve never tried it at home, it’s doesn’t look that hard though. I might have to try this before the cheesecake, my pants will thanks me. Hope you are having a great week.
-Gina-

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95 Mich Piece of Cake January 23, 2013 at 9:25 pm

Thanks so much for the tips, Nami. This is such an art, but I really would love to practise this at home.

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96 Shut Up & Cook | The Attainable Gourmet January 23, 2013 at 10:38 pm

You have officially found my weakness. I adore tempura…have had a few Tempura Fest parties with friends where we just make it all night, which while incredibly messy, is very fun. Have you heard about putting a splash of club soda in the batter instead of water? Rumor has it the air bubbles help the batter be really light. Not sure if it’s true though…

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97 Jill @ MadAboutMacarons January 24, 2013 at 5:02 am

You never cease to inspire me with your Japanese dishes, Nami. Last time I made prawn tempura was after our holiday in Thailand 18 months ago so high time I went for it again. LOVE the veggies, especially the pretty lotus. Great tips too. Bravo.
Oh, favourite dish on the site? Your quick, easy and tasty Ginger Shogayaki Pork – I’ve got my kids making it now, thanks to you!

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98 Nami January 27, 2013 at 11:05 pm

Aww Jill thank you for your kind comment! I’m so happy you enjoy my Shogayaki! That’s my favorite pork dish of all times too! :)

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99 Sandra January 24, 2013 at 3:14 pm

You didn’t overwhelm me at all, these are great tips. I tried my hand at tempura this summer and it wasn’t nearly like yours but we enjoyed it. I tried to recipes, one with beer and one without. Looking forward to trying your recipe.

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100 Allison (Spontaneous Tomato) January 24, 2013 at 4:24 pm

Thank you for this awesome tempura tutorial! I’m not surprised that the shrimp tempura post is one of your most popular… I think that other than sushi, when many Americans think of Japanese food, the first thing they think of is “tempura!” (even though I didn’t really see or eat tempura very often when I lived in Japan…).

I’ve only made tempura once before, but this post just helped convince me that I should try it out again sometime soon… Thank you for all of your detailed advice about the batter and the oil temperature! (I love that you included shiso leaves in there too!)

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101 Nami January 27, 2013 at 8:02 pm

Hi Allison! I actually didn’t think Shrimp Tempura would be that popular considering a lot of people don’t like deep frying. :) I hope you enjoy homemade Tempura again! :)

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102 Jen January 25, 2013 at 7:35 pm

Aw! I’m so happy to see your Chicken Teriyaki in your top 5!!

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103 Chung-Ah | Damn Delicious January 28, 2013 at 10:34 pm

Veggie tempera is one of my favorite things to order at a Japanese restaurant. So glad I don’t have to order them any more since I can make them right at home!

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104 Stephanie January 29, 2013 at 7:34 am

Thank you for sharing all these great tempura making tips! I’m still afraid to try to make some myself though..

My favorite vegetable for tempura is the sweet potato! And then the lotus root.

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105 Kristi Rimkus February 24, 2013 at 11:21 am

My mother bought me a deep fryer. I’ve only used it a few times. Even with this lovely appliance, it’s hard to get the cooking temperature just right. I’ll have to give it another try with your tips. Maybe I’ll have better success.

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106 Marianna March 20, 2013 at 4:48 am

I LOVE vegetable tempura!!! I’ve never cooked it before but with your recipe and tips I intend to give it a go. Thank you for providing such clear instructions. I am not surprised your cheesecake recipe is the most popular. You can just tell from the photo it’s heavenly. I’ll be making your cheesecake for my upcoming birthday in a few weeks time along with other savoury recipes. My theme for the party is Japanese food :)

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107 Nami March 20, 2013 at 2:30 pm

Hi Marianna! Thank you for your kind feedback. I hope you enjoy my tempura batter! It’s delicious and the texture should come out well if you are pretty good at deep frying. :) Cheesecake is very popular among bakers. I should be baking more often. :)

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108 joanna April 18, 2013 at 5:42 am

Hi,nami.I like your recipe so much.and your explanation, is great,I learned many things from you. Thanks!But, I’m living in a small town of Spain, can’t found the asia ingredients over here.I had tried CHEESECAKE,DORAYAKI …from here.well,finally was OK,I think so.At least someone said it was good.jeje.And now I have a problem,hope you can help me,please.My son is 2 and half years old.I’m trying to make some food for him evrytime.Like eegs, meatball with the sauce.noodles… But that’s difficult.He didn’t eat well.Just the rice,thin noodles,eggs.He doesn’t like the vegetables,shrimps,some kind of fish.I hope he can like to try everything.I don’t know what can I do for him? So, could you tell me some advice,please.

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109 Nami April 18, 2013 at 3:34 pm

Hi Joanna! I’m really happy to hear you enjoy my blog and thanks for your time to write here.

As for your son, it’s hard to advise without knowing more details, but I would suggest to include tiny bit of “challenging” item in his favorite food. Don’t include a lot – start tiny portion, that’s almost not visible…or almost non sense. You can always increase the portion when he’s more “comfortable” with flavor and the look. The point here is to encourage him to eat the one he doesn’t like. He and his tongue will get used to the flavor and texture, and he will also get used to eating things that he doesn’t like. After a while it will be “normal” for him to eat that challenging ingredient.

I also recommend to keep rotating his menu. Try not to feed the same food, because one day he’ll say he doesn’t want to eat anything else but the food you are giving to him. It’s better now to show him that we eat different things.

Also, prepare some little treat (not like candy). For us, it was a gummy vitamins. We would give them anyway, but we pretended it was a treat saying that they won’t get any if they don’t eat everything.

Hope that helps? :)

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