Best Tempura Battered Smelt Recipes

TEMPURA

Steps:

• Whisk the cake flour and rice flour together in a medium glass bowl and divide it in half. Set aside.
• Heat the vegetable oil in a 5-quart Dutch oven over high heat until it reaches 375 degrees F on a deep-fry thermometer.
• Once the temperature reaches 365 degrees F, whisk the egg, seltzer water and vodka, in a medium mixing bowl and divide it in half. Put half of the mixture in the refrigerator to reserve. Pour half of the liquid mixture into half of the dry mixture and whisk to combine, about 10 to 15 seconds. Some lumps may remain. Set the glass bowl in a larger bowl lined with ice.
• Dip the sweet potatoes into the batter using tongs, drain for 2 to 3 seconds over the bowl, and then add to the hot oil. Adjust the heat to maintain between 375 and 400 degrees F. Fry 6 to 8 pieces, at a time, until puffy and very light golden, about 1 to 2 minutes Remove to a cooling rack lined with 3 layers of paper towels set over a half sheet pan. Sprinkle with salt, if desired. Repeat the same dipping and frying procedure with the green beans and parsley leaves. Put the fried vegetables on a serving platter and serve the as an appetizer while preparing the seafood.
• Whisk together the remaining halves of dry and liquid batter ingredients as above and repeat dipping and frying with the shrimp and fish fillets. Sprinkle with salt, if desired, transfer the fish to a serving platter and serve immediately.

FISH AND SEAFOOD TEMPURA

Steps:

• Gather the ingredients.
• Season the seafood with salt and set it aside.
• Lay out a paper towel under a rack to place the fried seafood on.
• Heat the oil to 370 F over medium to medium-high heat in a deep fryer or a deep, heavy pot. If possible, attach the thermometer to the side.
• Mix the baking soda, 1/8 teaspoon of salt, cornstarch, and rice flour or all-purpose flour in a bowl until they are fully incorporated.
• Only when the oil is hot, whisk the egg yolk and the sparkling water together.
• Pour the egg yolk mixture into the bowl of dry ingredients, mixing well. The consistency of the batter should be like melted ice cream.
• Rapidly dip the seafood into the thin batter, shake it off a bit, and drop it into the oil. Do this in batches so the oil temperature does not drop too far. Do not crowd the pot.
• Fry the seafood for 2 to 4 minutes, depending on the size. When you hear the roiling, popping, and sizzling subsiding, remove the seafood immediately.
• Once the seafood is out of the oil, lay it on the rack to drain.
• Check the oil temperature between batches. Fry subsequent batches.
• Serve immediately with dipping sauce and enjoy.

TEMPURA BATTER

Steps:

• Combine all ingredients. Use as batter for meats and vegetables.

VEGETABLE TEMPURA

Steps:

• Whisk light soy sauce, mirin, and dashi granules together in a bowl for the sauce; set aside.
• Whisk water and egg yolks together in a bowl until well combined. Sift in flour and whisk until just combined; batter will be a bit lumpy.
• Heat vegetable oil in a wok or a deep saucepan until very hot, but not smoking.
• Dip sweet potato, onion, bell pepper, green beans, and shiitake mushrooms one by one into the batter and transfer immediately into the hot oil. Deep-fry tempura in batches, making sure to not overcrowd the wok, until batter is golden brown, 2 to 3 minutes per side. Remove from oil and transfer to a plate lined with paper towels to drain excess oil. Repeat until all vegetables have been used. Serve hot with dipping sauce.

TEMPURA BATTER

Steps:

• Beat egg whites in a bowl until frothy. Fold flour and cold water into egg whites until batter is just barely mixed.