Chicken Tempura (Toriten)
Chicken Tempura is a regional favorite in Oita Prefecture of Kyushu region in Japan. With a crispy and fluffy batter on the outside and juicy and tender meat inside, this Chicken Tempura is best enjoyed by dipping with citrusy ponzu sauce.
If you never heard of 'chicken tempura' before, you're not alone. I even thought chicken tempura is a westernized version of tempura.
Invented by a restaurant in Oita prefecture, Chicken Tempura, or Toriten (とり天) in Japanese, is a popular food mostly enjoyed in this region.
As straightforward as the name implies, chicken tempura is tempura-style fried chicken. Chicken breast or thigh is cut into strips, marinated in soy sauce, garlic, and ginger mixture, coated in tempura batter, and deep-fried.
The main difference between chicken tempura and regular tempura is the dipping sauce. While regular tempura is commonly served with this dipping sauce made with dashi and soy, chicken tempura is often dipped in kabosu ponzu sauce with Japanese karashi hot mustard.
Ingredients You'll Need
Boneless, skinless chicken breast. I usually prefer chicken thigh when it comes to fried chicken, but leaner meat works best for chicken tempura. That's what they use in Oita as well. The meat stays moist, juicy, and tender because it is well coated with tempura batter. You can also use chicken tenders.
- Freshly ground black pepper and salt
- Sake (Japanese rice wine)
- Soy sauce
- Grated ginger and garlic – for a touch of aroma
- Ultimate Brand Tempura
Always mix your tempura batter using chopsticks for only a few seconds and not more than 1 minute, leaving lumps in the mixture. Over-mixing the batter will result in the activation of wheat gluten, which causes the flour mixture to become chewy and dough-like when fried.
We often serve tempura with steamed rice and miso soup. On the tempura plate itself, there should be a mound of shredded cabbage and tomato wedges by the side. Just like all Japanese fried food, shredded cabbage is the typical side as it helps refresh the palate and cut the grease of the dishes. We eat shredded cabbage with dressings such as Sesame Dressing etc.
Now the dipping sauces! Chicken tempura is commonly enjoyed with ponzu sauce with a dab of karashi mustard instead of tempura dipping sauce. The citrus soy sauce cuts off the greasy taste and imparts a refreshing note to the deep-fried food.
Contact
Natalie
SHIPULLER ULTIMATE(DEZHOU)FOOD CO.,LTD
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