What Is Tempura?
Ready to take a tasty trip through Japanese food history? We're diving into the delicious world of tempura, one of Japan's famous fried foods. Tempura is very different from karaage (Japanese fried chicken), so if you're usually not into fried foods, we'd still recommend trying tempura when visiting Japan.
So, what exactly is tempura? In short, it's a traditional Japanese dish made by coating seafood, meat or veggies in a light and airy batter before deep-frying them. Tempura is usually served with a sweet and savory dipping sauce made from dashi, soy sauce and mirin. Sounds delicious, right? It is! Keep reading to learn more about the origins of tempura, staple ingredients and variations, as well as where to try it in Japan.
The origins of tempura
Did you know that tempura has a rich history that dates back to the 16th century when Portuguese missionaries first arrived in Nagasaki? These missionaries also introduced deep-frying techniques to Japan, which heavily influenced how Japanese cuisine would develop and change. The term "tempura" actually comes from the Latin word "tempora" which refers to times of fasting. Talk about cultural exchange!
During the Edo Period (1603–1868), tempura became a staple of Japanese cuisine, and chefs began experimenting with different ingredients and styles. But, it wasn't always accessible to everyone. In the past, tempura was considered a luxury food and was only served in high-end restaurants.
However, as cooking oil production increased, street vendors began selling tempura quickly and conveniently, making it more accessible to the masses. This helped solidify tempura's place as a staple of Japanese cuisine.
As tempura became more popular, several different regional variations began to develop. In the Kansai region, a style of tempura known as "tenkasu" or tempura flakes developed. They can be made by deep-frying small balls of tempura batter or by simply breaking up larger pieces of tempura. Over in Oita Prefecture, chicken tempura is considered to be the area's specialty dish.
In contemporary Japan, you can find both affordable tempura chains and high-end tempura restaurants, though this crispy dish is still considered to be more of an option for those looking to splurge. Did you know that tempura chef Kondo Fumio earned two Michelin stars for his restaurant Tempura Kondo? That's right, tempura is not just food; it's also an art form.
What is the difference between tempura and fried food?
Now you know what tempura is, let’s talk about what it isn’t. Though both involve deep-frying, unlike traditional fried foods, tempura uses a much lighter, airier batter. Traditional fried food can use a thicker, heavier batter or flour mixture, and can be made with numerous ingredients.
The frying technique when making tempura is also slightly different, with tempura chefs usually keeping a very close eye on the oil and only frying each ingredient for a few seconds. The most common ingredients for tempura are seafood (shrimp and fish, mainly) and vegetables (eggplant and mushrooms, to name a few). This slight-but significant-change is to thank for tempura's light crispiness and more complex flavors. The light batter gives more room for the high-grade ingredients to shine with every bite.
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