Original: English

Tempura

Chef Shimura, a tempura master, teaches the basics of tempura and professional techniques that can be practiced at home. You can learn everything from how to make the batter to how to fry ingredients like shrimp and vegetables according to their type.

📖Cooking Basics

dry（tantanmen）

Steps

In a bowl, combine 2L water, 3 whole eggs, and 2 egg yolks. [This is the key!] Separate only the egg liquid, making sure no egg white gets in.
🕒 00:34
Add 168g all-purpose flour and mix gently from the outside. [This is the key!] To prevent the flour particles from sticking together, add the flour in a finely sifted state, without incorporating air.
🕒 00:55
Add another 98g all-purpose flour and mix similarly. [This is the key!] Overmixing will develop gluten, resulting in a chewy texture, so avoid overmixing. Aim for a crispy exterior and a fluffy interior.
🕒 01:19
Keep the prepared batter as cold as possible, preferably with ice.
🕒 04:19
Peel the shrimp shells off with your thumb. [This is the key!] To peel them cleanly, remove them all at once at this stage.
🕒 02:28
When serving as tempura, remove the shrimp tomalley. [This is the key!] Leaving the tomalley in will create a concentrated umami flavor, masking the shrimp's natural sweetness and making it difficult to express the pure essence of the shrimp.
🕒 03:06
Thoroughly pat the shrimp dry with a paper towel.
🕒 03:35
If the tough parts of the shrimp (like around the eyes) are bothersome, trim them off.
🕒 03:40
Trim off the part of the shrimp's head where water tends to collect. [This is the key!] Frying this part as is can cause it to burst.
🕒 04:00
Peel the shell from only half of the shrimp and make a shallow cut with a knife on the side where the legs were attached. [This is the key!] This prevents the shrimp from curling up while frying.
🕒 04:32
Using your entire hand, gently stretch the shrimp little by little. [This is the key!] Stretch it so it doesn't shrink in the oil, and finally, shape it to fit.
🕒 05:39
Lightly process the remaining shell part without crushing it too much.
🕒 05:57
Dip the prepped shrimp into the chilled batter and fry. [This is the key!] Use cold batter and avoid overmixing it.
🕒 07:19
When frying tempura, when the bubbles in the oil become fine, it's a sign that the moisture content is decreasing.
🕒 08:08
After frying, rapidly cool the shrimp and expose it to air to achieve an even crispier texture.
🕒 09:54
Sprinkle salt on the freshly fried shrimp tempura.
🕒 10:03
Place the frozen sakura shrimp in a bowl.
🕒 11:08
Lightly and evenly coat the sakura shrimp with batter and drop them into the oil with a spoon. [This is the key!] After adding them to the oil, lift them up and fry until they start to solidify. This prevents them from falling apart and ensures they fry up crispy.
🕒 11:37
Lightly coat the rapeseed blossoms with flour, ensuring even coverage.
🕒 15:01
Drop the floured rapeseed blossoms into the oil. [This is the key!] Fry them by repeatedly submerging and lifting them until all the moisture has evaporated.
🕒 15:09
Finish the fried rapeseed blossoms with a touch of mustard soy sauce. [This is the key!] If you don't coat them carefully and fry them cleanly, they will just end up as oily green vegetables.
🕒 16:10
Coat the bamboo shoots with a thick layer of batter, and partially set the batter before frying. [This is the key!] By varying the batter application and frying method according to the ingredient, you can maximize the ingredient's natural deliciousness.
🕒 16:42