Japan
Photo: Yaco*, CC BY 2.0, croppedTempura
天ぷら
/tempɯɾa/TEM-poo-rah
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- Taste
- Savory
- Made with
- SeafoodVegetablesWheat & flour
History
Deep-frying in batter came to Japan with Portuguese traders and missionaries who reached Nagasaki in the 16th century. A common explanation for the name is the Latin tempora, the Catholic fasting days when Portuguese ate fried fish instead of meat, though this is not certain. Japanese cooks made the batter lighter, mixing cold water, egg and flour barely at all so it fries into a lacy crust. In Edo, tempura became fast food: skewers of fish from the bay, fried at street stalls and dipped in a soy-based sauce. It later moved into restaurants, where chefs fry each piece to order in front of the diner.
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