Best Vegetable Tempura Recipes

VEGETABLE TEMPURA

Steps:

• Add all the flour to a bowl. With the handle of a spoon, or a chopstick, mix, and stir in the ice-cold water until the mixture is slightly thicker than buttermilk consistency. Make a point of not mixing thoroughly, as tempura is renowned for lumps of flour.
• Dip sliced vegetables (zucchini, onions, eggplants, carrots, bell peppers, sweet potatoes, string beans, broccoli, wild mushrooms, fresh herbs, and bok choy) any vegetables will work but these are the most commonly used) into the batter mixture and shake off any excess.
• Deep fry vegetables in a wok or deep fat fryer (you can use a frying pan if you do not have anything else, you just need about 7cm/3 inches of clean oil) at 200C/400F/Gas 6 until the batter is light golden in color and crisp. (Any large amounts of hot oil in a kitchen, especially in woks which are not always that sturdy, scare me, please be careful and do not leave the pan unattended.) Turn the vegetables at intervals to ensure that both sides are cooked equally and then fish them out with a slotted spoon, shaking off any excess oil. Place them on kitchen paper towels and eat as soon as possible. The reason that I keep going on about eating them so quickly is because as your hot cooked vegetables cool down inside the batter they begin to steam, making them less crisp as time goes on. Good tempura should be crispy and is one of those things that should be made and cooked quickly and eaten straight away.
• Pour the rice wine vinegar into a small bowl. Add the sugar and stir until the sugar is dissolved. Taste for sweetness. Add cilantro, chile, and garlic and mix well. Season with salt and pepper and allow to sit for 10 minutes to 1 hour, for flavors to combine.;

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.

VEGETABLE TEMPURA WITH SOY & DIPPING SAUCE

Steps:

• Heat oven to 150C/fan 130C/gas 2. Mix together the sauce ingredients in a small bowl. Make the batter (see right). Cover a baking tray with sheets of kitchen paper. Start to heat a deep-fat frying pan or large wok a third full of oil and have the frying basket, or slotted spoon to hand
• When the oil reaches 190C dip some of the prepared veg briefly into the batter, shake off any excess, then lower straight into the hot oil. Don't crowd the frying basket. Fry for about 2 mins until light golden and crisp, then drain on kitchen paper.
• Repeat with the remaining vegetables in batches, dipping into the batter just before you fry them and remember to let the oil heat back up to temperature between each batch. Keep the tempura warm in the oven, leaving the door slightly ajar so that they stay crisp. They are best served immediately on a warm plate with the sauce alongside for dipping.

VEGETABLE TEMPURA

Steps:

• Combine the dashi, soy sauce, and mirin in a small saucepan. Place over medium heat. As soon as the dipping sauce comes to a boil, turn off the heat.
• Combine the yolks and water in a bowl, mixing until they're incorporated, then add the ice cubes (the "wet" part of the batter). In another bowl or container, add the flour (the "dry" part of the batter).
• When you're almost ready to cook the tempura, reheat dipping sauce over low heat. Grate the daikon on the coarsest side of a box grater. Squeeze out excess liquid and set aside. Grate the ginger finely and set aside. Keep the sauce warm while you prepare a tempura cooking station.
• To prepare a tempura cooking station, beside your burner, arrange the vegetables, a plate with the ½ cup of cake flour, and the wet and dry parts of the batter. Also, ready a tray lined with paper towels or newspaper to absorb the excess oil from the cooked vegetables, and the tools you'll need: chopsticks, a metal strainer, and a candy thermometer, if you have one. Place a cooking vessel on the burner; use one with a uniform size to heat oil evenly, like a large cast-iron skillet or Dutch oven (don't use a wok). Add the vegetable oil and sesame oil.
• Heat the oil to 360°F over high heat. When the oil has reached 360°F, prepare to cook the vegetables in batches. Be careful not to overfill the skillet, which will lower the cooking temperature; use, at most, half of the surface area of the oil to cook. While the tempura is cooking, check the oil temperature with a candy thermometer. Regulate the heat to maintain a constant 360°F oil temperature. If the oil is too hot, the tempura will burn; if too low, the tempura will come out soggy and greasy.
• When you're ready to cook the tempura, quickly add the flour (the "dry") to the liquid (the "wet"), in one shot. Hold 4 chopsticks together, the tips pointed down, like you're grabbing a bottle. Stab at the batter with the chopsticks, mashing down again and again to combine the dry and wet parts. Do not stir; you barely want to mix the batter. Mix for about 30 seconds, or until the batter becomes loose and liquidy, with the consistency of heavy cream. It should be lumpy, with visible gobs of dry flour floating in the liquid, and with unmixed flour sticking to the sides of the bowl. Remember, if you overmix the batter, you'll ruin it.
• Lightly dredge the vegetables in the reserved cake flour, then dip into the batter. Immediately lay the vegetables in the hot oil. Working in batches, deep-fry the harder vegetables like sweet potato, carrot, or lotus root first, for about 3 minutes, until the vegetables turn golden brown. Transfer the vegetables to the prepared tray to drain excess oil. Repeat with the other vegetables. Cook softer vegetables like asparagus, broccoli, and pumpkin for about 2 minutes. For shiso leaves, dredge only one side of the leaf with flour, and cook for about 1 minute.
• Serve the vegetable tempura with the grated daikon and ginger on the side of the warmed dipping sauce. When you're ready to eat, add the daikon and ginger to the dipping sauce and dip the tempura into it.

BAKED VEGETABLE TEMPURA

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 450 degrees F (230 degrees C). Grease a large baking sheet.
• Combine panko and salt together in a shallow bowl. Whisk eggs in a separate small bowl. Combine broccoli, cauliflower, sweet potato, winter squash, onion, and green beans together in a large bowl; add flour and toss to coat evenly.
• Shake excess flour from each vegetable piece, dip into beaten egg and press into panko mixture. Gently toss between your hands so any panko crumbs that haven't stuck can fall away. Place vegetables onto prepared baking sheet; do not stack.
• Bake in the preheated oven until golden brown, turning occasionally, 10 to 15 minutes.
• Stir soy sauce, water, rice vinegar, and sugar together in a saucepan over medium heat until hot, 1 to 2 minutes. Remove from heat and add green onion. Serve sauce alongside vegetables.

VEGETABLE TEMPURA

Steps:

• Heat two or three inches (more is better) of oil in a deep-fryer or deep saucepan. The oil is ready when it reaches 350 degrees, or when a pinch of flour sizzles immediately. Combine 1 cup water and 1 cup ice; let sit for a minute, then measure 1 cup water from this. Beat lightly with the flour and egg yolks; the batter should be lumpy.
• Dredge the vegetables very lightly in the flour, tapping to remove excess. Then dip them in the batter and immediately put in the oil. You can cook 6 to 8 pieces at a time, depending on the size of your pan. Cook 1 to 2 minutes, no more. Sprinkle with salt and pepper and serve immediately, with lemon wedges and soy sauce if you like.

EXTRA-CRISP VEGETABLE TEMPURA

Steps:

• Whisk together egg yolk, salt, and club soda. Gently fold in rice flour or cornstarch.
• Heat 1 inch oil to 375 degrees in a high-sided skillet Dip vegetables in batter and fry in batches until tender and crisp, 3 to 5 minutes. Drain on paper towels. Sprinkle with salt.

SHRIMP AND VEGETABLE TEMPURA

Steps:

• Microwave 1 cup water and the bouillon cube in a microwave-safe glass measuring cup, 2 minutes. Stir in the soy sauce, mirin and sugar.
• Heat 2 inches peanut oil in a heavy-bottomed pot until a deep-fry thermometer registers 380 degrees F. Meanwhile, whisk the flour, seltzer, eggs and 1/2 teaspoon salt in a medium bowl until almost smooth. Add 1 cup ice cubes and stir until they just begin to melt. Put the cornstarch in a shallow dish. Line a baking sheet with paper towels.
• Working in batches, dredge one-third of the shrimp and vegetables in the cornstarch, then dip in the batter to coat, letting the excess drip off. Fry until crisp and lightly golden, turning once, 2 to 3 minutes. Remove with a slotted spoon and transfer to the prepared baking sheet to drain. Let the oil return to 380 degrees F, then repeat with the remaining shrimp and vegetables. Serve with the dipping sauce.

EASY CHICKEN AND VEGETABLE TEMPURA

Steps:

• Heat oven to 200°F. Line large plate with several paper towels; set aside. Line rimmed baking sheet with cooking parchment or foil; set aside.
• In small bowl, mix honey, soy sauce and chili garlic sauce; set aside.
• In large bowl, beat egg with whisk or fork. Beat in flour, cornstarch, salt and cold water.
• In 5-quart Dutch oven or 10-inch straight-sided skillet, heat oil over medium heat to 375°F. Dip bell pepper and broccoli into batter; let excess batter drip back into bowl. Cook in single layer in hot oil 3 to 4 minutes, turning once, until coating is crisp and golden brown. Drain on paper towel-lined plate, then transfer to pan and place in oven to keep warm. Wait for oil to reach 375°F again between batches.
• Dip chicken pieces into batter; let excess batter drip back into bowl. Cook chicken, in batches if necessary, in hot oil 4 to 5 minutes, turning once, until coating is crisp and golden brown and chicken is no longer pink in center. Top chicken and vegetables with green onions; serve with sauce.

SHRIMP AND VEGETABLE TEMPURA

Steps:

• Make the dipping sauce: Combine all ingredients in a bowl. Set aside to allow the flavors to develop.
• Prepare the shrimp: Butterfly the shrimp by cutting down the back, being careful not to cut all the way through. Open the shrimp like a book and rinse well with cold water.
• Make the Tempura batter: Put the flour in a bowl and whisk in the seltzer to get out all the lumps. Add the egg yolks and blend it in well. Flavor with sesame oil and a pinch of salt. The batter should be the consistency of heavy cream.
• Time to fry: Heat about 2 inches of peanut oil to 375 degrees F in a wok or deep skillet. Dry the shrimp and vegetables well. Dust them with flour to soak up any remaining moisture and shake off the excess. Dip them into the batter one by one. Drop 4 or 5 pieces at a time in the hot oil, do not overcrowd the pan. Fry until golden brown, turning once, about 3 minutes. To keep the oil clean between batches, skim off the small bits of batter that float in the oil. Remove the fried shrimp and vegetables from the oil and drain on paper towels; season them with salt. Serve with the dipping sauce.

VEGAN VEGETABLE TEMPURA

Steps:

• For the dipping sauce: Combine kelp and shiitake mushroom in a small bowl. Add 1 cup cold water and allow to soak for 3 hours. Strain and set the clear, amber liquid aside; discard kelp and mushroom. Pour mirin and light-colored soy sauce in a small pot over medium-high heat, and bring to a boil. Add 1/2 cup of the soaking liquid from the kelp and mushroom. Remove from heat, and set aside. In a separate bowl, mix the daikon and ginger; set aside.
• For the tempura: Pour oil into a large wok or pot so that the oil is two inches deep. Heat over medium-high heat until oil is 350 degrees. Set aside a baking sheet with a rack lined with paper towels, and a small long-handled fine-meshed strainer for removing excess fried batter.
• Pour 1 cup ice-cold water into a medium bowl. Add 1 cup plus 2 tablespoons cake flour, and whisk to blend lightly. Place about 1/2 cup cake flour into another bowl. Dip each slice of vegetable into dry flour, shake off excess, and then dip each slice of vegetable into the batter.
• Fry the vegetables in batches to be sure they are not crowded. Place 4 to 5 vegetable pieces in the oil and fry, turning once or twice, until golden and crisp, 2 to 2 1/2 minutes. Using the long-handled strainer, remove excess bits of fried batter to keep the oil clean. Transfer to the baking sheet to drain. Continue until all the vegetables are fried.
• To serve, place a paper napkin in the center of a platter, and arrange the vegetables on the platter. Pour off excess moisture from grated daikon and grated ginger. Place daikon and ginger mixture in the center of the dipping sauce, arranged as a little pointed mound. Serve tempura with dipping sauce.

VEGETABLE TEMPURA

Steps:

• Mix the salt, flour, and water together until smooth and no lumps. (Use cold because it helps the batter/veggies absorb less oil).
• Place in freezer.
• Prepare vegetables by peeling and slicing.
• Pour the oil into a pan and heat over medium heat.
• When oil is hot, dip veggies in batter then oil.
• Fry until lightly browned.
• Do small amounts at a time. It will be less messy and much easier to manage.

BENIHANA VEGETABLE TEMPURA

Steps:

• Decide which kind of Tempura you are going to do and then prepare vegetables for frying.
• In a large mixing bowl, break the eggs into 1 cup ice water. Whisk quickly but not thoroughly. Add the rice flour all at once; mix until the batter is loosely combined. (If overmixed, the batter will be too heavy when deep-fried.).
• Heat 4 Cups of peanut oil on high in a wok or deep-fryer until almost smoking. Make the tempura in small batches.
• Toss the vegetables in a bowl with the additional flour. Dip vegetable in batter and deep-fry.
• NOTE - If the carrots are grated, take them up in clumps and dip them in the flour. You will then dip them in the batter to deep-fry them in clumps.
• Drain briefly on rack or paper towels, then serve immediately with warmed tempura dipping sauce mixed with grated ginger, served in individual bowls. (Tempura does not fry to a 'golden brown'. It will be almost a pasty white when done.).

VEGETABLE TEMPURA WITH HONEY-MUSTARD SAUCE

Steps:

• Heat oven to 450F degrees.
• Coat a 15x10x1" baking sheet with spray; set aside.
• In a medium bowl combine panko crumbs, salt, pepper, garlic powder & onion powder.
• In a large bowl toss the vegetables in flour, shaking to remove any excess flour.
• Dip the vegetables, a few at a time, into the eggs, then the panko crumbs mixture to coat.
• Place the vegetables in a single layer in the prepared cookie sheet. (Vegetables can be prepared ahead. Cover & refrigerate for up to 3 hours.)Drizzle the vegetables with melted butter.
• Bake uncovered for 9-11 minutes or until vegetables are golden brown, gently stirring twice.
• Serve immediately with Honey-Mustard Sauce where the ingredients have been stirred in a small bowl.
• Then ENJOY!

EASY CHICKEN AND VEGETABLE TEMPURA

Steps:

• Heat oven to 200°F. Line large plate with several paper towels; set aside. Line rimmed baking sheet with cooking parchment or foil; set aside.
• In small bowl, mix honey, soy sauce and chili garlic sauce; set aside.
• In large bowl, beat egg with whisk or fork. Beat in flour, cornstarch, salt and cold water.
• In 5-quart Dutch oven or 10-inch straight-sided skillet, heat oil over medium heat to 375°F. Dip bell pepper and broccoli into batter; let excess batter drip back into bowl. Cook in single layer in hot oil 3 to 4 minutes, turning once, until coating is crisp and golden brown. Drain on paper towel-lined plate, then transfer to pan and place in oven to keep warm. Wait for oil to reach 375°F again between batches.
• Dip chicken pieces into batter; let excess batter drip back into bowl. Cook chicken, in batches if necessary, in hot oil 4 to 5 minutes, turning once, until coating is crisp and golden brown and chicken is no longer pink in center. Top chicken and vegetables with green onions; serve with sauce.

VEGETABLE TEMPURA

Steps:

• Heat oil to 375 degrees in electric fryer or in a large, deep heavy pan on stove top. Roll vegetables in flour and shake off excess. Dip vegetables into batter and carefully place in oil to fry. Remove from oil when golden brown. Place on paper towels to drain. Serve with dipping sauce.
• Combine all ingredients in bowl. Stir to combine. Serve with deep-fried vegetables.

VEGETABLE TEMPURA WITH GINGER DIPPING SAUCE

Steps:

• 1. TO MAKE THE SAUCE: Place the ginger in a clean kitchen towel. Squeeze and wring the ginger over a bowl to extract the juice. Discard the pulp. You should have 2 tablespoons ginger juice. 2. In a small, nonreactive saucepan, bring the soy sauce, sherry, vinegar, and brown sugar to a boil over high heat and cook for 1 minute. Let cool completely. Stir in the ginger juice. (The sauce can be prepared up to 8 hours ahead, covered, and kept at room temperature.) 3. TO MAKE THE TEMPURA: Prepare the vegetables as follows: Broccoli and cauliflower: Cut into 1-inch florets. Red or green bell peppers: Discard seeds, ribs, and stems. Cut into 1/2-inch-wide by 2-inch-long strips. Scallions: Cut off the green tops, leaving about 1 inch attached to the white portion. Save the green tops for another use. Sweet potatoes: Peel and cut into 1/8-inch-thick rounds. 4. In a medium bowl, whisk the rice flour and baking powder to mix. Add the ice water and egg and stir just until combined (do not overmix) 5. Preheat the oven to 200°F. Place a large wire cake rack on a jelly roll pan. In a deep Dutch oven, melt vegetable shortening over high heat to a depth of 2 to 3 inches and heat it to 365°F. Working in batches, dip the vegetables in the batter, shaking off excess batter. Deep-fry until golden, 2 to 3 minutes. Transfer the vegetables to the wire rack to drain, and keep warm in the oven while frying the rest. If the batter thickens on standing, thin with a little water. Serve the tempura immediately, with the dipping sauce.

VEGETABLE TEMPURA NESTS

Steps:

• Whisk flour, cornstarch, club soda and salt into a medium bowl.
• Toss shredded veggies with the tempura batter to coat.
• Heat about 2 inches of oil in a deep fry pan over a medium high heat, about 350 degrees F.
• Drop vegetable nests, by the Tablespoonful, into the hot oil, cooking about 2-3 minutes per side, or until golden brown.
• Using a slotted spoon, remove nests from oil and drain on a paper towel lined plate. Serve immediately with Soy Dipping sauce.