When you think of traditional Japanese cuisine, does tempura quickly come to mind? While most people would say yes, tempura is actually of Portuguese origin. This dish of lightly battered seafood and vegetables first came to Japan in the middle of the 16th century by way of missionaries from Portugal. In the Catholic tradition, the missionaries would not eat meat during the four annual Ember Days (quattuor tempora in Portuguese) on other Christian holy days, or on Fridays. As an alternative, on these days they cooked fish and vegetables in the manner they found to be most palatable. Previously, deep-fried foods had not been common in Japan, but over the centuries, the Japanese have truly made tempura their own, and the dish is now fully integrated into Japanese culture.
While the ingredients and the process for making tempura are very simple, the preparation is an art form that can showcase the technical abilities of a skilled chef. Tempura relies on three things: fresh, seasonal ingredients, constant cooking temperature, and getting the texture of the batter just right. Tempura was originally made from shrimp, but it is now common to see all sorts of crustaceans, fish, and vegetables getting battered and fried. Chicken, beef and pork are not prepared in this manner because of their heavier, more identifiable flavors, although they may be deep-fried using other methods. Due to its lightness, sesame oil is preferable, and food is dipped just for a few moments. The batter is made from a mixture of cold or iced water, flour and eggs, and it is of critical importance that this mixture remains lumpy and inconsistent. Yes, that’s right–making tempura is basically the opposite of making pancakes. The batter is prepared in small batches and mixed lightly with chopsticks, to avoid activating the wheat gluten in the flour, which would cause a lumpy, doughy texture when cooked. If all is done correctly, the result is a light, fluffy, crisp coating that tastes fresh rather than heavy and greasy.
Tempura, which should be eaten piping hot, can be served on its own or as an accompaniment to another dish. While some diners enjoy it with nothing more than a squeeze of lemon and some salt, it usually comes with some sort of dipping sauce in which it should be lightly dipped, never soaked. At Roka Akor, we offer a wide variety of tempura, including rock shrimp, prawn, cremini mushroom, butternut squash and Japanese shishito peppers. You can also order a Chef’s Choice sampler of seasonal vegetables. Our tensyu and yuzu sachimi dipping sauces add extra flavor and highlight the freshness of our ingredients.
It is said that Tokugawa Ieyasu, founder and first shogun of the Tokugawa shogunate of Japan, was so fond of tempura that over-consumption of it led to his untimely death. We hope that you come in and enjoy our delectable and expertly prepared tempura, but we do promise to cut you off if we feel your life is in danger.
