Sorry if it's a FAQ, but how do you get tempura batter to be crisp, and not
like an omlette hanging off your chunks of pork? I had believed it was,
possibly, the way I stored the morcels before serving; but spacing them all
apart on a grill at moderate heat, is something that one would think would
dry them out - but still I feel it's too soggy; it seems that way the moment
I take them out of the (very hot) fat.
Thanks,
Versy

"Versy Tyle" > wrote:
> Sorry if it's a FAQ, but how do you get tempura batter to be crisp, and
> not like an omlette hanging off your chunks of pork? I had believed it
> was, possibly, the way I stored the morcels before serving; but spacing
> them all apart on a grill at moderate heat, is something that one would
> think would dry them out - but still I feel it's too soggy; it seems that
> way the moment I take them out of the (very hot) fat.
> Thanks,
>
Versy, four questions:

How do you make your tempura batter? Do you pre-cook and drain the pork
chunks? Do you dredge them lightly in flour before dipping them in the
batter? What kind of oil do you fry them in?

Also, when I do tempura, I dip the shrimp or mushrooms one at a time in the
batter and immediately put them in the hot oil two or three at a time. I
drain them on paper towels, but a rack should be fine. While they're
draining, I put in the next batch. While they're frying, I bring the last
batch out to the table. I serve them hot and don't store them. It cuts into
socializing time, but the result is much more attractive. The alternative
is to hire a chef or three. ;~)

--
Nick, Happy Thanksgiving!

Thank a Veteran and Support Our Troops! You are not forgotten. Thanks.

"Versy Tyle" > wrote:
> > wrote in message
> []
> > Versy, four questions:
> >
> > How do you make your tempura batter?
>
> I just whisk the egg and the flour, perhaps with a drop of soy sauce,
> then submerge the chunks in the mixture.
> Ought there to be something else, like baking powder?
>
I can't find the file for what I used, but this, from 'The Book of Japanese
Cooking', is about the same:

Lightly mix one beaten egg yolk with one cup of ICE COLD water. Add one cup
of sifted, all-purpose flour all at once and lightly fold in with just four
or five strokes. The batter should be loosely mixed but still lumpy.

> > Do you pre-cook and drain the pork chunks?
>
> No, I thought the idea was that cooking in batter kept the flavour best.

That's true. I haven't tried making pork tempura, but I was thinking that
the fat from the pork might be weeping out and making the tempura soggy.
Either way, you should pat them dry before battering.
>
> > Do you dredge them lightly in flour before dipping them in the
> > batter?
>
> No, is that the best thing to do?

I was just thinking that that's what you do when making Tonkatsu and it
might lock in the pork fat better.
>
> >What kind of oil do you fry them in?
>
> Vegetable oil.

Perfect!
> >
> > Also, when I do tempura, I dip the shrimp or mushrooms one at a time in
> > the batter and immediately put them in the hot oil two or three at a
> > time.
>
> I am a bit concerned that perhaps a wok, without a frying sieve, isn't
> sufficient. Certainly I don't use a very a great depth of oil - half an
> inch to an inch; perhaps the temperature diminishes too much when I've
> got 5 or 6 chunks in there.

You may be pointing at the key, right here. You know how pan-fried, breaded
chicken is. That's NOT what you want! If you're going to deep-fry in a wok,
you need a major heat source to maintain the temperature. My wife can do
it, but I gave up. When I deep-fry, I use a soup pot with a gallon of
vegetable oil. When the oil gets up to 375 to 378 F, I put in the stuff.
Even so, the temp still falls almost ten degrees during cooking.
>
> > I drain them on paper towels, but a rack should be fine. While they're
> > draining, I put in the next batch. While they're frying, I bring the
> > last batch out to the table. I serve them hot and don't store them. It
> > cuts into socializing time, but the result is much more attractive. The
> > alternative is to hire a chef or three. ;~)
>
> Thankyou for that,
>
Your welcome! Hope this helps and good luck.

--
Nick, Happy Thanksgiving!!!

Thank a Veteran and Support Our Troops! You are not forgotten. Thanks.

I'm sure there's many ways of doing this right & Nick's comments are very
useful but here's a few extra pointers.

Try adding something that will fizz up your batter when deep frying, this
will make it light & airy. Some people add baking powder etc. or maybe
beating it to add more air into it while others add fizzy water/mineral
water or even 7up as the Filipinos do. For tempura batter, it should be
pretty thin anyway, like milk or at most single cream consistency & no more.

As for the meat or filling, the less water/liquid it gives out the better
during deep frying, so whatever it takes, dry it with some paper towels
before etc. or just a straight cut/fillet off the joint of pork or whole
fish etc.

Oil for deep frying. To get the right temp. & condition, it needs to be more
than a few inches or maybe 6" or more of oil depending on what you're deep
frying. An inch of oil depth isn't deep frying, some consider that as
shallow frying. Heat the oil up for a few minutes & ALWAYS tests with a
little batter. drop in a small piece to see if it sizzles ASAP & floats. If
it does, you're in business. Do each piece one at a time unless you have a
big wok/deep fryer where a few pieces doesn't affect the overall cooking
temp. Another thing, you don't want it too hot or it will ruin it too. It
burns too quickly & the outside is burnt while the inside is still raw.

Lift as soon as it gets golden brown & drain on paper towels or on a rack.
If you require a crunchier finish, deep fry again in a few minutes time for
a minute or less & drain again. This will crisp up your batter but it will
get darker. Only for slightly thicker batter mixes. Also if your just using
veg. or slices of fish or prawns etc. it doesn't need that long & the batter
can be lighter while meat you might need a little longer.

hope this helps.

DC.


> wrote in message
...
> "Versy Tyle" > wrote:
> > > wrote in message
> > []
> > > Versy, four questions:
> > >
> > > How do you make your tempura batter?
> >
> > I just whisk the egg and the flour, perhaps with a drop of soy sauce,
> > then submerge the chunks in the mixture.
> > Ought there to be something else, like baking powder?
> >
> I can't find the file for what I used, but this, from 'The Book of
Japanese
> Cooking', is about the same:
>
> Lightly mix one beaten egg yolk with one cup of ICE COLD water. Add one
cup
> of sifted, all-purpose flour all at once and lightly fold in with just
four
> or five strokes. The batter should be loosely mixed but still lumpy.
>
> > > Do you pre-cook and drain the pork chunks?
> >
> > No, I thought the idea was that cooking in batter kept the flavour best.
>
> That's true. I haven't tried making pork tempura, but I was thinking that
> the fat from the pork might be weeping out and making the tempura soggy.
> Either way, you should pat them dry before battering.
> >
> > > Do you dredge them lightly in flour before dipping them in the
> > > batter?
> >
> > No, is that the best thing to do?
>
> I was just thinking that that's what you do when making Tonkatsu and it
> might lock in the pork fat better.
> >
> > >What kind of oil do you fry them in?
> >
> > Vegetable oil.
>
> Perfect!
> > >
> > > Also, when I do tempura, I dip the shrimp or mushrooms one at a time
in
> > > the batter and immediately put them in the hot oil two or three at a
> > > time.
> >
> > I am a bit concerned that perhaps a wok, without a frying sieve, isn't
> > sufficient. Certainly I don't use a very a great depth of oil - half an
> > inch to an inch; perhaps the temperature diminishes too much when I've
> > got 5 or 6 chunks in there.
>
> You may be pointing at the key, right here. You know how pan-fried,
breaded
> chicken is. That's NOT what you want! If you're going to deep-fry in a
wok,
> you need a major heat source to maintain the temperature. My wife can do
> it, but I gave up. When I deep-fry, I use a soup pot with a gallon of
> vegetable oil. When the oil gets up to 375 to 378 F, I put in the stuff.
> Even so, the temp still falls almost ten degrees during cooking.
> >
> > > I drain them on paper towels, but a rack should be fine. While they're
> > > draining, I put in the next batch. While they're frying, I bring the
> > > last batch out to the table. I serve them hot and don't store them. It
> > > cuts into socializing time, but the result is much more attractive.
The
> > > alternative is to hire a chef or three. ;~)
> >
> > Thankyou for that,
> >
> Your welcome! Hope this helps and good luck.
>
> --
> Nick, Happy Thanksgiving!!!
>
> Thank a Veteran and Support Our Troops! You are not forgotten. Thanks.

Thankyou - I tried a tempura again this evening and am currently devouring
it. It's better now that I have employed some of your hints, but still not
as I had aimed.
I had not before come across the idea of putting ice cold water in with the
eggs; why ice cold? and why water? And why eggs, not egg yolks? The Japanese
cookery book I was working to previously just says to mix eggs with flour.
I think you're right that a wok won't do it how I would like.

Versy


> wrote in message
...
> "Versy Tyle" > wrote:
> > > wrote in message
> > []
> > > Versy, four questions:
> > >
> > > How do you make your tempura batter?
> >
> > I just whisk the egg and the flour, perhaps with a drop of soy sauce,
> > then submerge the chunks in the mixture.
> > Ought there to be something else, like baking powder?
> >
> I can't find the file for what I used, but this, from 'The Book of
Japanese
> Cooking', is about the same:
>
> Lightly mix one beaten egg yolk with one cup of ICE COLD water. Add one
cup
> of sifted, all-purpose flour all at once and lightly fold in with just
four
> or five strokes. The batter should be loosely mixed but still lumpy.
>
> > > Do you pre-cook and drain the pork chunks?
> >
> > No, I thought the idea was that cooking in batter kept the flavour best.
>
> That's true. I haven't tried making pork tempura, but I was thinking that
> the fat from the pork might be weeping out and making the tempura soggy.
> Either way, you should pat them dry before battering.
> >
> > > Do you dredge them lightly in flour before dipping them in the
> > > batter?
> >
> > No, is that the best thing to do?
>
> I was just thinking that that's what you do when making Tonkatsu and it
> might lock in the pork fat better.
> >
> > >What kind of oil do you fry them in?
> >
> > Vegetable oil.
>
> Perfect!
> > >
> > > Also, when I do tempura, I dip the shrimp or mushrooms one at a time
in
> > > the batter and immediately put them in the hot oil two or three at a
> > > time.
> >
> > I am a bit concerned that perhaps a wok, without a frying sieve, isn't
> > sufficient. Certainly I don't use a very a great depth of oil - half an
> > inch to an inch; perhaps the temperature diminishes too much when I've
> > got 5 or 6 chunks in there.
>
> You may be pointing at the key, right here. You know how pan-fried,
breaded
> chicken is. That's NOT what you want! If you're going to deep-fry in a
wok,
> you need a major heat source to maintain the temperature. My wife can do
> it, but I gave up. When I deep-fry, I use a soup pot with a gallon of
> vegetable oil. When the oil gets up to 375 to 378 F, I put in the stuff.
> Even so, the temp still falls almost ten degrees during cooking.
> >
> > > I drain them on paper towels, but a rack should be fine. While they're
> > > draining, I put in the next batch. While they're frying, I bring the
> > > last batch out to the table. I serve them hot and don't store them. It
> > > cuts into socializing time, but the result is much more attractive.
The
> > > alternative is to hire a chef or three. ;~)
> >
> > Thankyou for that,
> >
> Your welcome! Hope this helps and good luck.
>
> --
> Nick, Happy Thanksgiving!!!
>
> Thank a Veteran and Support Our Troops! You are not forgotten. Thanks.

"Versy Tyle" > wrote:
> Thankyou - I tried a tempura again this evening and am currently
> devouring it. It's better now that I have employed some of your hints,
> but still not as I had aimed.
> I had not before come across the idea of putting ice cold water in with
> the eggs; why ice cold? and why water? And why eggs, not egg yolks? The
> Japanese cookery book I was working to previously just says to mix eggs
> with flour.
> I think you're right that a wok won't do it how I would like.
>
Whoops! I did leave 'yolk' out of my first post, although I got it right in
the recipe. ;~)

The ice cold water seems to make the egg yolk lighter, and I like DC's
mention of using seltzer, ice cold, of course, instead of water.

Glad you feel that your product is improving. I've got recipes that I'm
still tweaking after 40 years. Now, if I could just find my mushroom
tempura recipe! I had an herb blend in the flour for the batter, also
tweaked over a number of sessions. Keep notes, adjust your recipe file and
don't accidentally delete it. ;~(

--
Nick, Happy Thanksgiving!


Thank a Veteran and Support Our Troops! You are not forgotten. Thanks.

Thankyou very much.

I hope it doesn't do my cardiovascular system too much damage!

Rgds,

Versy



"DC." <not@home> wrote in message
...
> I'm sure there's many ways of doing this right & Nick's comments are very
> useful but here's a few extra pointers.
>
> Try adding something that will fizz up your batter when deep frying, this
> will make it light & airy. Some people add baking powder etc. or maybe
> beating it to add more air into it while others add fizzy water/mineral
> water or even 7up as the Filipinos do. For tempura batter, it should be
> pretty thin anyway, like milk or at most single cream consistency & no
more.
>
> As for the meat or filling, the less water/liquid it gives out the better
> during deep frying, so whatever it takes, dry it with some paper towels
> before etc. or just a straight cut/fillet off the joint of pork or whole
> fish etc.
>
> Oil for deep frying. To get the right temp. & condition, it needs to be
more
> than a few inches or maybe 6" or more of oil depending on what you're deep
> frying. An inch of oil depth isn't deep frying, some consider that as
> shallow frying. Heat the oil up for a few minutes & ALWAYS tests with a
> little batter. drop in a small piece to see if it sizzles ASAP & floats.
If
> it does, you're in business. Do each piece one at a time unless you have a
> big wok/deep fryer where a few pieces doesn't affect the overall cooking
> temp. Another thing, you don't want it too hot or it will ruin it too. It
> burns too quickly & the outside is burnt while the inside is still raw.
>
> Lift as soon as it gets golden brown & drain on paper towels or on a rack.
> If you require a crunchier finish, deep fry again in a few minutes time
for
> a minute or less & drain again. This will crisp up your batter but it will
> get darker. Only for slightly thicker batter mixes. Also if your just
using
> veg. or slices of fish or prawns etc. it doesn't need that long & the
batter
> can be lighter while meat you might need a little longer.
>
> hope this helps.
>
> DC.
>
>
> > wrote in message
> ...
> > "Versy Tyle" > wrote:
> > > > wrote in message
> > > []
> > > > Versy, four questions:
> > > >
> > > > How do you make your tempura batter?
> > >
> > > I just whisk the egg and the flour, perhaps with a drop of soy sauce,
> > > then submerge the chunks in the mixture.
> > > Ought there to be something else, like baking powder?
> > >
> > I can't find the file for what I used, but this, from 'The Book of
> Japanese
> > Cooking', is about the same:
> >
> > Lightly mix one beaten egg yolk with one cup of ICE COLD water. Add one
> cup
> > of sifted, all-purpose flour all at once and lightly fold in with just
> four
> > or five strokes. The batter should be loosely mixed but still lumpy.
> >
> > > > Do you pre-cook and drain the pork chunks?
> > >
> > > No, I thought the idea was that cooking in batter kept the flavour
best.
> >
> > That's true. I haven't tried making pork tempura, but I was thinking
that
> > the fat from the pork might be weeping out and making the tempura soggy.
> > Either way, you should pat them dry before battering.
> > >
> > > > Do you dredge them lightly in flour before dipping them in the
> > > > batter?
> > >
> > > No, is that the best thing to do?
> >
> > I was just thinking that that's what you do when making Tonkatsu and it
> > might lock in the pork fat better.
> > >
> > > >What kind of oil do you fry them in?
> > >
> > > Vegetable oil.
> >
> > Perfect!
> > > >
> > > > Also, when I do tempura, I dip the shrimp or mushrooms one at a time
> in
> > > > the batter and immediately put them in the hot oil two or three at a
> > > > time.
> > >
> > > I am a bit concerned that perhaps a wok, without a frying sieve, isn't
> > > sufficient. Certainly I don't use a very a great depth of oil - half
an
> > > inch to an inch; perhaps the temperature diminishes too much when I've
> > > got 5 or 6 chunks in there.
> >
> > You may be pointing at the key, right here. You know how pan-fried,
> breaded
> > chicken is. That's NOT what you want! If you're going to deep-fry in a
> wok,
> > you need a major heat source to maintain the temperature. My wife can do
> > it, but I gave up. When I deep-fry, I use a soup pot with a gallon of
> > vegetable oil. When the oil gets up to 375 to 378 F, I put in the stuff.
> > Even so, the temp still falls almost ten degrees during cooking.
> > >
> > > > I drain them on paper towels, but a rack should be fine. While
they're
> > > > draining, I put in the next batch. While they're frying, I bring the
> > > > last batch out to the table. I serve them hot and don't store them.
It
> > > > cuts into socializing time, but the result is much more attractive.
> The
> > > > alternative is to hire a chef or three. ;~)
> > >
> > > Thankyou for that,
> > >
> > Your welcome! Hope this helps and good luck.
> >
> > --
> > Nick, Happy Thanksgiving!!!
> >
> > Thank a Veteran and Support Our Troops! You are not forgotten. Thanks.
>
>

"Versy Tyle" > wrote:
> Thankyou very much.
>
> I hope it doesn't do my cardiovascular system too much damage!
>[]
LMAO Red wine, garlic and hot peppers, not all in the same glass, have
worked for me for over 50 years. A good cigar and a couple of Martinis on
occasion also help. On topic - a nice Daiginjo is good, too! ;~D

--
Nick, Happy Thanksgiving!


Thank a Veteran and Support Our Troops! You are not forgotten. Thanks.

> wrote in message
...
> "Versy Tyle" > wrote:
> > Thankyou very much.
> >
> > I hope it doesn't do my cardiovascular system too much damage!
> >[]
> LMAO Red wine, garlic and hot peppers, not all in the same glass, have
> worked for me for over 50 years. A good cigar and a couple of Martinis on
> occasion also help. On topic - a nice Daiginjo is good, too! ;~D

Red wine, garlic and hot peppers I can believe. But how, physiologically
speaking, could a cigar be one of this list? And what the heck is a
Diaginjo??? I joint of ganja or something?


Versy


>
> --
> Nick, Happy Thanksgiving!
>
>
> Thank a Veteran and Support Our Troops! You are not forgotten. Thanks.

Actually, with deep frying, very little oil should be absorbed, if the
oil is hot enough that is. When you deep fry things, the heat of the
oil actually seals the outside of whatever it is you're deep frying,
so that very little oil actually makes it to the inside of the food.
Some will of course be absorbed by the batter, but not an excessive
amount.

On Thu, 25 Nov 2004 23:20:14 GMT, "Versy Tyle" >
wrote:

>Thankyou very much.
>
>I hope it doesn't do my cardiovascular system too much damage!
>
>Rgds,
>
>Versy

Ontario Metal Pages - The Ultimate Authority on Metal in Ontario
http://www.ontariometal.net

Advertise here for only $14.95 per month. Ask me how.

"Versy Tyle" > wrote in message
news
> Sorry if it's a FAQ, but how do you get tempura batter to be crisp, and
not
> like an omlette hanging off your chunks of pork? I had believed it was,
> possibly, the way I stored the morcels before serving; but spacing them
all
> apart on a grill at moderate heat, is something that one would think would
> dry them out - but still I feel it's too soggy; it seems that way the
moment
> I take them out of the (very hot) fat.
> Thanks,
> Versy
>

There is no such thing as Pork tempura in Japan.
There is Tonkatsu which is Pork cutlet with Panko,
but thats something else.
Consequently you're not going to get any really good info
from people who make "pork tempura".
Tempura batter is chilled usually with Ice to create the thin cripsy batter
covering that tempura is famous for. After dipping into the batter make sure
you don't have excess batter. A thin crust is a must for decent Tempura.
If you insist on using Pork make sure they are thin slices. Tempura cooks
in a very short amount of time. People who know how to cook tempura don't
even time it, they can tell by the change in the sound of the food frying,
which occurs when the moisture content of the food being fried changes.

"Versy Tyle" > wrote:
> > wrote in message
> > "Versy Tyle" > wrote:

> > > Thankyou very much.
> > >
> > > I hope it doesn't do my cardiovascular system too much damage!
> > >[]
> > LMAO Red wine, garlic and hot peppers, not all in the same glass, have
> > worked for me for over 50 years. A good cigar and a couple of Martinis
> > on occasion also help. On topic - a nice Daiginjo is good, too! ;~D
>
> Red wine, garlic and hot peppers I can believe. But how, physiologically
> speaking, could a cigar be one of this list? And what the heck is a
> Diaginjo??? I joint of ganja or something?
>
Now I'm rolling on the floor (not rolling a spliff), LMAO. a) A good cigar
is a pleasant relaxing smoke, if, like me, you're a slave to Lady Nicotine,
and b) Daiginjo is a fine Sake, which, when drunk chilled, is a good
accompaniment to Japanese food. Either way, have a great evening! ;~8

--
Nick, Happy Thanksgiving!


Thank a Veteran and Support Our Troops! You are not forgotten. Thanks.

"Versy Tyle" > wrote:
> > wrote in message
> > "Versy Tyle" > wrote:

> > > Thankyou very much.
> > >
> > > I hope it doesn't do my cardiovascular system too much damage!
> > >[]
> > LMAO Red wine, garlic and hot peppers, not all in the same glass, have
> > worked for me for over 50 years. A good cigar and a couple of Martinis
> > on occasion also help. On topic - a nice Daiginjo is good, too! ;~D
>
> Red wine, garlic and hot peppers I can believe. But how, physiologically
> speaking, could a cigar be one of this list? And what the heck is a
> Diaginjo??? I joint of ganja or something?
>
Now I'm rolling on the floor (not rolling a spliff), LMAO. a) A good cigar
is a pleasant relaxing smoke, if, like me, you're a slave to Lady Nicotine,
and b) Daiginjo is a fine Sake, which, when drunk chilled, is a good
accompaniment to Japanese food. Either way, have a great evening! ;~8

--
Nick, Happy Thanksgiving!


Thank a Veteran and Support Our Troops! You are not forgotten. Thanks.

On Fri, 26 Nov 2004 02:14:07 GMT, "FreddieN" >
wrote:

>
>There is no such thing as Pork tempura in Japan.
>There is Tonkatsu which is Pork cutlet with Panko,
>but thats something else.
>Consequently you're not going to get any really good info
>from people who make "pork tempura".
>Tempura batter is chilled usually with Ice to create the thin cripsy batter
>covering that tempura is famous for. After dipping into the batter make sure
>you don't have excess batter. A thin crust is a must for decent Tempura.
>If you insist on using Pork make sure they are thin slices. Tempura cooks
>in a very short amount of time. People who know how to cook tempura don't
>even time it, they can tell by the change in the sound of the food frying,
>which occurs when the moisture content of the food being fried changes.

I concur with what Freddie writes. There is tonkatsu (and katsudon),
and there is tempura. Both are completely different preparations, with
one made with pork (tonkatsu) and the other with seafood and
vegetables.

http://www.straitscafe.com/recipes/303.htm - Tonkatsu recipe

http://www.straitscafe.com/recipes/323.htm - Seafood tempura

"Versy Tyle" > wrote in message
...
> Thankyou - I tried a tempura again this evening and am currently devouring
> it. It's better now that I have employed some of your hints, but still not
> as I had aimed.
> I had not before come across the idea of putting ice cold water in with
> the
> eggs; why ice cold? and why water? And why eggs, not egg yolks? The
> Japanese
> cookery book I was working to previously just says to mix eggs with flour.
> I think you're right that a wok won't do it how I would like.


A wok should work fine--unless you are using an electric stove that's on the
weak side.

I think the problem is not enough oil (should be at least 4 cups) and the
temperature isn't high enough. Using more oil doesn't mean you are
ingesting more oil--you need a good amount just for temperature's sake.

Also, as others have mentioned, tempura isn't made with pork. That may be
why you are having problems, but I don't know, since I've never tried it
with pork.

As for the ice water stuff--you need a new Japanese cookbook if yours
doesn't mention it! If you live in North America, the December _Saveur_ has
a great article on tempura, including a recipe.

Peter

"Versy Tyle" > wrote in message
...
> Thankyou - I tried a tempura again this evening and am currently devouring
> it. It's better now that I have employed some of your hints, but still not
> as I had aimed.
> I had not before come across the idea of putting ice cold water in with
> the
> eggs; why ice cold? and why water? And why eggs, not egg yolks? The
> Japanese
> cookery book I was working to previously just says to mix eggs with flour.
> I think you're right that a wok won't do it how I would like.


A wok should work fine--unless you are using an electric stove that's on the
weak side.

I think the problem is not enough oil (should be at least 4 cups) and the
temperature isn't high enough. Using more oil doesn't mean you are
ingesting more oil--you need a good amount just for temperature's sake.

Also, as others have mentioned, tempura isn't made with pork. That may be
why you are having problems, but I don't know, since I've never tried it
with pork.

As for the ice water stuff--you need a new Japanese cookbook if yours
doesn't mention it! If you live in North America, the December _Saveur_ has
a great article on tempura, including a recipe.

Peter

"Versy Tyle" > wrote
> I had not before come across the idea of putting ice cold water in with the
> eggs; why ice cold? and why water?

The idea is that as the cold batter hits the oil, the air in it will
expand quickly thus making for a lighter result. With room temp water
it will not expand as fast. I've even seen a recipe asking for ice
cubes in the batter!

FreddieN wrote:
> "Versy Tyle" > wrote in message
> news >
>>Sorry if it's a FAQ, but how do you get tempura batter to be crisp, and
>
> not
>
>>like an omlette hanging off your chunks of pork? I had believed it was,
>>possibly, the way I stored the morcels before serving; but spacing them
>
> all
>
>>apart on a grill at moderate heat, is something that one would think would
>>dry them out - but still I feel it's too soggy; it seems that way the
>
> moment
>
>>I take them out of the (very hot) fat.
>>Thanks,
>>Versy
>>
>
>
> There is no such thing as Pork tempura in Japan.
> There is Tonkatsu which is Pork cutlet with Panko,
> but thats something else.
> Consequently you're not going to get any really good info
> from people who make "pork tempura".
> Tempura batter is chilled usually with Ice to create the thin cripsy batter
> covering that tempura is famous for. After dipping into the batter make sure
> you don't have excess batter. A thin crust is a must for decent Tempura.
> If you insist on using Pork make sure they are thin slices. Tempura cooks
> in a very short amount of time. People who know how to cook tempura don't
> even time it, they can tell by the change in the sound of the food frying,
> which occurs when the moisture content of the food being fried changes.

Yeah, that's what I was thinking! Pork tempura, how odd. But, I can
see it working if you slice it into thin julienned strips, or hammer it
out to tenderize it first.

Here's how I do tempura. Haven't done it in a couple years, so it's rusty.

First, mix a spoon of baking poweder into around a cup or two of flour.
Also, if you have potato starch, add a few spoons. Potato starch
seems to help with the crispness. It's not critical, though.

Then, crack an egg over it, and add ice water. Stir it up a little bit,
but leave it very lumpy. Keep adding water until it's the consistency
of a thick soup or a moderately thin gravy. Then add a couple ice
cubes. The lumps, baking powder, and melting ice will leave the batter
inconsistent, and prone to "explode" in the oil, making for a crispier
shell of batter.

Also, the thinness of the batter is pretty important. You want the
batter to form a shell, not a blob or a capsule. Keep it thin.

Then, my favorite things to add to the batter are julienned carrots
(nowadays, they use a slice, but I like the old-school julinenned),
green beans (raw), cleaned and flattened shrimp, sliced mushroom, shiso
leaf, gobo root julienned.

I put more than one fritter's worth in there, and pull out a few with my
fingers. Chopsticks work too, but fingers are faster, and there's a
trick later. Anyway, I plop in three or four fritters at a time.

The oil is usually clean oil, because I do this infrequently.
Sometimes, I'll add a little old oil to get it to crisp up faster, but,
that can sometimes backfire, and the oil will go dirty too soon.

If the oil gets too dirty and "wears out," you have to pour some off and
add clean oil. The oil matters a lot, because it is part of the flavor
of the tempura. (Think about it.) There is a special kind of strainer
to scoop off the bits of dough, before they carbonize and pollute the
oil. (These bits are good on soup, or as an unhealthy snack.) A
slotted spoon can do in a pinch, but the strainer is good to own.

If you like a really elaborate fritter, with all kinds of spidery spikes
of fried dough on it, you can achieve this with a little daring move.
Dip your fingers in the batter, and sprinkle bits of batter onto the
fritters as they fry. The motion I use is "flicking a snot off the tip
of my thumb, but with more fingers."

Do not put your fingers into the oil. LOL.

Also, the last trick is to drain the tempura on a rack, on a warmed up
plate. You need to let the vegetables' steam escape and not mess up the
greasy, crispy, fried dough.

The final fritter I make is the chopped onion fritter. I just add
chopped green onions to the remaning batter, and then make onion
fritters. These are really good, and I prefer them to some of the real
tempura.

The tempura aesthetic is different from other kinds of fried foods.
It's about the balance of the batter, the ingredient, and the oil. It's
almost as if the ingredient is there, mainly, to flavor the batter, and
the batter is there to be flavored by the oil. Then, when the tempura
is dunked into the sauce, the oil and sauce mix into something that will
flavor the rice. Then, alla sudden, it's also about the quality of the
rice.

It's kind of like sushi. You start out thinking it's about the fish.
Then you realize it's really about the rice too, because bad rice can
ruin sushi. Then, you think you've got it understood, and you get
pickier about the fish, because, well, there are so few ingredients,
that every ingredient matters.

"FreddieN" > wrote in message =
news:Pjwpd.18680$Gw.7237@trndny09...
>=20
> "Versy Tyle" > wrote in message
> news
> > Sorry if it's a FAQ, but how do you get tempura batter to be crisp, =
and
> not
> > like an omlette hanging off your chunks of pork? I had believed it =
was,
> > possibly, the way I stored the morcels before serving; but spacing =
them
> all
> > apart on a grill at moderate heat, is something that one would think =
would
> > dry them out - but still I feel it's too soggy; it seems that way =
the
> moment
> > I take them out of the (very hot) fat.
> > Thanks,
> > Versy
> >
>=20
> There is no such thing as Pork tempura in Japan.
> There is Tonkatsu which is Pork cutlet with Panko,
> but thats something else.
> Consequently you're not going to get any really good info
> from people who make "pork tempura".
> Tempura batter is chilled usually with Ice to create the thin cripsy =
batter
> covering that tempura is famous for. After dipping into the batter =
make sure
> you don't have excess batter. A thin crust is a must for decent =
Tempura.
> If you insist on using Pork make sure they are thin slices. Tempura =
cooks
> in a very short amount of time. People who know how to cook tempura =
don't
> even time it, they can tell by the change in the sound of the food =
frying,
> which occurs when the moisture content of the food being fried =
changes.
>=20
>=20

The above is absolutely correct.
But perhaps a thin slice pork tenpura might be worth trying.
Perhaps the strong pork flavor can be offset with a green shiso leaf
and fried together. Or maybe shredded shouga (ginger).Just playing with =
ideas.
In Kumamoto, Kyushuu I have eaten Tori-Ten(pura)which is
Chicken Tenpura. Completely different from the usual chicken
Kara-age/Tatsuta age.

Musashi

"FreddieN" > wrote in message =
news:Pjwpd.18680$Gw.7237@trndny09...
>=20
> "Versy Tyle" > wrote in message
> news
> > Sorry if it's a FAQ, but how do you get tempura batter to be crisp, =
and
> not
> > like an omlette hanging off your chunks of pork? I had believed it =
was,
> > possibly, the way I stored the morcels before serving; but spacing =
them
> all
> > apart on a grill at moderate heat, is something that one would think =
would
> > dry them out - but still I feel it's too soggy; it seems that way =
the
> moment
> > I take them out of the (very hot) fat.
> > Thanks,
> > Versy
> >
>=20
> There is no such thing as Pork tempura in Japan.
> There is Tonkatsu which is Pork cutlet with Panko,
> but thats something else.
> Consequently you're not going to get any really good info
> from people who make "pork tempura".
> Tempura batter is chilled usually with Ice to create the thin cripsy =
batter
> covering that tempura is famous for. After dipping into the batter =
make sure
> you don't have excess batter. A thin crust is a must for decent =
Tempura.
> If you insist on using Pork make sure they are thin slices. Tempura =
cooks
> in a very short amount of time. People who know how to cook tempura =
don't
> even time it, they can tell by the change in the sound of the food =
frying,
> which occurs when the moisture content of the food being fried =
changes.
>=20
>=20

The above is absolutely correct.
But perhaps a thin slice pork tenpura might be worth trying.
Perhaps the strong pork flavor can be offset with a green shiso leaf
and fried together. Or maybe shredded shouga (ginger).Just playing with =
ideas.
In Kumamoto, Kyushuu I have eaten Tori-Ten(pura)which is
Chicken Tenpura. Completely different from the usual chicken
Kara-age/Tatsuta age.

Musashi

That's a particularly helpful pst, Decay - thanks.
I notice youy just say eggs; should it include the egg white in your
opinion?

Thanks,
Versy

"decay" > wrote in message
...
> FreddieN wrote:
> > "Versy Tyle" > wrote in message
> > news > >
> >>Sorry if it's a FAQ, but how do you get tempura batter to be crisp, and
> >
> > not
> >
> >>like an omlette hanging off your chunks of pork? I had believed it was,
> >>possibly, the way I stored the morcels before serving; but spacing them
> >
> > all
> >
> >>apart on a grill at moderate heat, is something that one would think
would
> >>dry them out - but still I feel it's too soggy; it seems that way the
> >
> > moment
> >
> >>I take them out of the (very hot) fat.
> >>Thanks,
> >>Versy
> >>
> >
> >
> > There is no such thing as Pork tempura in Japan.
> > There is Tonkatsu which is Pork cutlet with Panko,
> > but thats something else.
> > Consequently you're not going to get any really good info
> > from people who make "pork tempura".
> > Tempura batter is chilled usually with Ice to create the thin cripsy
batter
> > covering that tempura is famous for. After dipping into the batter make
sure
> > you don't have excess batter. A thin crust is a must for decent Tempura.
> > If you insist on using Pork make sure they are thin slices. Tempura
cooks
> > in a very short amount of time. People who know how to cook tempura
don't
> > even time it, they can tell by the change in the sound of the food
frying,
> > which occurs when the moisture content of the food being fried changes.
>
> Yeah, that's what I was thinking! Pork tempura, how odd. But, I can
> see it working if you slice it into thin julienned strips, or hammer it
> out to tenderize it first.
>
> Here's how I do tempura. Haven't done it in a couple years, so it's
rusty.
>
> First, mix a spoon of baking poweder into around a cup or two of flour.
> Also, if you have potato starch, add a few spoons. Potato starch
> seems to help with the crispness. It's not critical, though.
>
> Then, crack an egg over it, and add ice water. Stir it up a little bit,
> but leave it very lumpy. Keep adding water until it's the consistency
> of a thick soup or a moderately thin gravy. Then add a couple ice
> cubes. The lumps, baking powder, and melting ice will leave the batter
> inconsistent, and prone to "explode" in the oil, making for a crispier
> shell of batter.
>
> Also, the thinness of the batter is pretty important. You want the
> batter to form a shell, not a blob or a capsule. Keep it thin.
>
> Then, my favorite things to add to the batter are julienned carrots
> (nowadays, they use a slice, but I like the old-school julinenned),
> green beans (raw), cleaned and flattened shrimp, sliced mushroom, shiso
> leaf, gobo root julienned.
>
> I put more than one fritter's worth in there, and pull out a few with my
> fingers. Chopsticks work too, but fingers are faster, and there's a
> trick later. Anyway, I plop in three or four fritters at a time.
>
> The oil is usually clean oil, because I do this infrequently.
> Sometimes, I'll add a little old oil to get it to crisp up faster, but,
> that can sometimes backfire, and the oil will go dirty too soon.
>
> If the oil gets too dirty and "wears out," you have to pour some off and
> add clean oil. The oil matters a lot, because it is part of the flavor
> of the tempura. (Think about it.) There is a special kind of strainer
> to scoop off the bits of dough, before they carbonize and pollute the
> oil. (These bits are good on soup, or as an unhealthy snack.) A
> slotted spoon can do in a pinch, but the strainer is good to own.
>
> If you like a really elaborate fritter, with all kinds of spidery spikes
> of fried dough on it, you can achieve this with a little daring move.
> Dip your fingers in the batter, and sprinkle bits of batter onto the
> fritters as they fry. The motion I use is "flicking a snot off the tip
> of my thumb, but with more fingers."
>
> Do not put your fingers into the oil. LOL.
>
> Also, the last trick is to drain the tempura on a rack, on a warmed up
> plate. You need to let the vegetables' steam escape and not mess up the
> greasy, crispy, fried dough.
>
> The final fritter I make is the chopped onion fritter. I just add
> chopped green onions to the remaning batter, and then make onion
> fritters. These are really good, and I prefer them to some of the real
> tempura.
>
> The tempura aesthetic is different from other kinds of fried foods.
> It's about the balance of the batter, the ingredient, and the oil. It's
> almost as if the ingredient is there, mainly, to flavor the batter, and
> the batter is there to be flavored by the oil. Then, when the tempura
> is dunked into the sauce, the oil and sauce mix into something that will
> flavor the rice. Then, alla sudden, it's also about the quality of the
> rice.
>
> It's kind of like sushi. You start out thinking it's about the fish.
> Then you realize it's really about the rice too, because bad rice can
> ruin sushi. Then, you think you've got it understood, and you get
> pickier about the fish, because, well, there are so few ingredients,
> that every ingredient matters.

That's a particularly helpful pst, Decay - thanks.
I notice youy just say eggs; should it include the egg white in your
opinion?

Thanks,
Versy

"decay" > wrote in message
...
> FreddieN wrote:
> > "Versy Tyle" > wrote in message
> > news > >
> >>Sorry if it's a FAQ, but how do you get tempura batter to be crisp, and
> >
> > not
> >
> >>like an omlette hanging off your chunks of pork? I had believed it was,
> >>possibly, the way I stored the morcels before serving; but spacing them
> >
> > all
> >
> >>apart on a grill at moderate heat, is something that one would think
would
> >>dry them out - but still I feel it's too soggy; it seems that way the
> >
> > moment
> >
> >>I take them out of the (very hot) fat.
> >>Thanks,
> >>Versy
> >>
> >
> >
> > There is no such thing as Pork tempura in Japan.
> > There is Tonkatsu which is Pork cutlet with Panko,
> > but thats something else.
> > Consequently you're not going to get any really good info
> > from people who make "pork tempura".
> > Tempura batter is chilled usually with Ice to create the thin cripsy
batter
> > covering that tempura is famous for. After dipping into the batter make
sure
> > you don't have excess batter. A thin crust is a must for decent Tempura.
> > If you insist on using Pork make sure they are thin slices. Tempura
cooks
> > in a very short amount of time. People who know how to cook tempura
don't
> > even time it, they can tell by the change in the sound of the food
frying,
> > which occurs when the moisture content of the food being fried changes.
>
> Yeah, that's what I was thinking! Pork tempura, how odd. But, I can
> see it working if you slice it into thin julienned strips, or hammer it
> out to tenderize it first.
>
> Here's how I do tempura. Haven't done it in a couple years, so it's
rusty.
>
> First, mix a spoon of baking poweder into around a cup or two of flour.
> Also, if you have potato starch, add a few spoons. Potato starch
> seems to help with the crispness. It's not critical, though.
>
> Then, crack an egg over it, and add ice water. Stir it up a little bit,
> but leave it very lumpy. Keep adding water until it's the consistency
> of a thick soup or a moderately thin gravy. Then add a couple ice
> cubes. The lumps, baking powder, and melting ice will leave the batter
> inconsistent, and prone to "explode" in the oil, making for a crispier
> shell of batter.
>
> Also, the thinness of the batter is pretty important. You want the
> batter to form a shell, not a blob or a capsule. Keep it thin.
>
> Then, my favorite things to add to the batter are julienned carrots
> (nowadays, they use a slice, but I like the old-school julinenned),
> green beans (raw), cleaned and flattened shrimp, sliced mushroom, shiso
> leaf, gobo root julienned.
>
> I put more than one fritter's worth in there, and pull out a few with my
> fingers. Chopsticks work too, but fingers are faster, and there's a
> trick later. Anyway, I plop in three or four fritters at a time.
>
> The oil is usually clean oil, because I do this infrequently.
> Sometimes, I'll add a little old oil to get it to crisp up faster, but,
> that can sometimes backfire, and the oil will go dirty too soon.
>
> If the oil gets too dirty and "wears out," you have to pour some off and
> add clean oil. The oil matters a lot, because it is part of the flavor
> of the tempura. (Think about it.) There is a special kind of strainer
> to scoop off the bits of dough, before they carbonize and pollute the
> oil. (These bits are good on soup, or as an unhealthy snack.) A
> slotted spoon can do in a pinch, but the strainer is good to own.
>
> If you like a really elaborate fritter, with all kinds of spidery spikes
> of fried dough on it, you can achieve this with a little daring move.
> Dip your fingers in the batter, and sprinkle bits of batter onto the
> fritters as they fry. The motion I use is "flicking a snot off the tip
> of my thumb, but with more fingers."
>
> Do not put your fingers into the oil. LOL.
>
> Also, the last trick is to drain the tempura on a rack, on a warmed up
> plate. You need to let the vegetables' steam escape and not mess up the
> greasy, crispy, fried dough.
>
> The final fritter I make is the chopped onion fritter. I just add
> chopped green onions to the remaning batter, and then make onion
> fritters. These are really good, and I prefer them to some of the real
> tempura.
>
> The tempura aesthetic is different from other kinds of fried foods.
> It's about the balance of the batter, the ingredient, and the oil. It's
> almost as if the ingredient is there, mainly, to flavor the batter, and
> the batter is there to be flavored by the oil. Then, when the tempura
> is dunked into the sauce, the oil and sauce mix into something that will
> flavor the rice. Then, alla sudden, it's also about the quality of the
> rice.
>
> It's kind of like sushi. You start out thinking it's about the fish.
> Then you realize it's really about the rice too, because bad rice can
> ruin sushi. Then, you think you've got it understood, and you get
> pickier about the fish, because, well, there are so few ingredients,
> that every ingredient matters.

Oh, and what 'sauce' is it you refer to? How do you make tempura sauce?
Thanks,
Versy
"decay" > wrote in message
...
> FreddieN wrote:
> > "Versy Tyle" > wrote in message
> > news > >
> >>Sorry if it's a FAQ, but how do you get tempura batter to be crisp, and
> >
> > not
> >
> >>like an omlette hanging off your chunks of pork? I had believed it was,
> >>possibly, the way I stored the morcels before serving; but spacing them
> >
> > all
> >
> >>apart on a grill at moderate heat, is something that one would think
would
> >>dry them out - but still I feel it's too soggy; it seems that way the
> >
> > moment
> >
> >>I take them out of the (very hot) fat.
> >>Thanks,
> >>Versy
> >>
> >
> >
> > There is no such thing as Pork tempura in Japan.
> > There is Tonkatsu which is Pork cutlet with Panko,
> > but thats something else.
> > Consequently you're not going to get any really good info
> > from people who make "pork tempura".
> > Tempura batter is chilled usually with Ice to create the thin cripsy
batter
> > covering that tempura is famous for. After dipping into the batter make
sure
> > you don't have excess batter. A thin crust is a must for decent Tempura.
> > If you insist on using Pork make sure they are thin slices. Tempura
cooks
> > in a very short amount of time. People who know how to cook tempura
don't
> > even time it, they can tell by the change in the sound of the food
frying,
> > which occurs when the moisture content of the food being fried changes.
>
> Yeah, that's what I was thinking! Pork tempura, how odd. But, I can
> see it working if you slice it into thin julienned strips, or hammer it
> out to tenderize it first.
>
> Here's how I do tempura. Haven't done it in a couple years, so it's
rusty.
>
> First, mix a spoon of baking poweder into around a cup or two of flour.
> Also, if you have potato starch, add a few spoons. Potato starch
> seems to help with the crispness. It's not critical, though.
>
> Then, crack an egg over it, and add ice water. Stir it up a little bit,
> but leave it very lumpy. Keep adding water until it's the consistency
> of a thick soup or a moderately thin gravy. Then add a couple ice
> cubes. The lumps, baking powder, and melting ice will leave the batter
> inconsistent, and prone to "explode" in the oil, making for a crispier
> shell of batter.
>
> Also, the thinness of the batter is pretty important. You want the
> batter to form a shell, not a blob or a capsule. Keep it thin.
>
> Then, my favorite things to add to the batter are julienned carrots
> (nowadays, they use a slice, but I like the old-school julinenned),
> green beans (raw), cleaned and flattened shrimp, sliced mushroom, shiso
> leaf, gobo root julienned.
>
> I put more than one fritter's worth in there, and pull out a few with my
> fingers. Chopsticks work too, but fingers are faster, and there's a
> trick later. Anyway, I plop in three or four fritters at a time.
>
> The oil is usually clean oil, because I do this infrequently.
> Sometimes, I'll add a little old oil to get it to crisp up faster, but,
> that can sometimes backfire, and the oil will go dirty too soon.
>
> If the oil gets too dirty and "wears out," you have to pour some off and
> add clean oil. The oil matters a lot, because it is part of the flavor
> of the tempura. (Think about it.) There is a special kind of strainer
> to scoop off the bits of dough, before they carbonize and pollute the
> oil. (These bits are good on soup, or as an unhealthy snack.) A
> slotted spoon can do in a pinch, but the strainer is good to own.
>
> If you like a really elaborate fritter, with all kinds of spidery spikes
> of fried dough on it, you can achieve this with a little daring move.
> Dip your fingers in the batter, and sprinkle bits of batter onto the
> fritters as they fry. The motion I use is "flicking a snot off the tip
> of my thumb, but with more fingers."
>
> Do not put your fingers into the oil. LOL.
>
> Also, the last trick is to drain the tempura on a rack, on a warmed up
> plate. You need to let the vegetables' steam escape and not mess up the
> greasy, crispy, fried dough.
>
> The final fritter I make is the chopped onion fritter. I just add
> chopped green onions to the remaning batter, and then make onion
> fritters. These are really good, and I prefer them to some of the real
> tempura.
>
> The tempura aesthetic is different from other kinds of fried foods.
> It's about the balance of the batter, the ingredient, and the oil. It's
> almost as if the ingredient is there, mainly, to flavor the batter, and
> the batter is there to be flavored by the oil. Then, when the tempura
> is dunked into the sauce, the oil and sauce mix into something that will
> flavor the rice. Then, alla sudden, it's also about the quality of the
> rice.
>
> It's kind of like sushi. You start out thinking it's about the fish.
> Then you realize it's really about the rice too, because bad rice can
> ruin sushi. Then, you think you've got it understood, and you get
> pickier about the fish, because, well, there are so few ingredients,
> that every ingredient matters.

Oh, and what 'sauce' is it you refer to? How do you make tempura sauce?
Thanks,
Versy
"decay" > wrote in message
...
> FreddieN wrote:
> > "Versy Tyle" > wrote in message
> > news > >
> >>Sorry if it's a FAQ, but how do you get tempura batter to be crisp, and
> >
> > not
> >
> >>like an omlette hanging off your chunks of pork? I had believed it was,
> >>possibly, the way I stored the morcels before serving; but spacing them
> >
> > all
> >
> >>apart on a grill at moderate heat, is something that one would think
would
> >>dry them out - but still I feel it's too soggy; it seems that way the
> >
> > moment
> >
> >>I take them out of the (very hot) fat.
> >>Thanks,
> >>Versy
> >>
> >
> >
> > There is no such thing as Pork tempura in Japan.
> > There is Tonkatsu which is Pork cutlet with Panko,
> > but thats something else.
> > Consequently you're not going to get any really good info
> > from people who make "pork tempura".
> > Tempura batter is chilled usually with Ice to create the thin cripsy
batter
> > covering that tempura is famous for. After dipping into the batter make
sure
> > you don't have excess batter. A thin crust is a must for decent Tempura.
> > If you insist on using Pork make sure they are thin slices. Tempura
cooks
> > in a very short amount of time. People who know how to cook tempura
don't
> > even time it, they can tell by the change in the sound of the food
frying,
> > which occurs when the moisture content of the food being fried changes.
>
> Yeah, that's what I was thinking! Pork tempura, how odd. But, I can
> see it working if you slice it into thin julienned strips, or hammer it
> out to tenderize it first.
>
> Here's how I do tempura. Haven't done it in a couple years, so it's
rusty.
>
> First, mix a spoon of baking poweder into around a cup or two of flour.
> Also, if you have potato starch, add a few spoons. Potato starch
> seems to help with the crispness. It's not critical, though.
>
> Then, crack an egg over it, and add ice water. Stir it up a little bit,
> but leave it very lumpy. Keep adding water until it's the consistency
> of a thick soup or a moderately thin gravy. Then add a couple ice
> cubes. The lumps, baking powder, and melting ice will leave the batter
> inconsistent, and prone to "explode" in the oil, making for a crispier
> shell of batter.
>
> Also, the thinness of the batter is pretty important. You want the
> batter to form a shell, not a blob or a capsule. Keep it thin.
>
> Then, my favorite things to add to the batter are julienned carrots
> (nowadays, they use a slice, but I like the old-school julinenned),
> green beans (raw), cleaned and flattened shrimp, sliced mushroom, shiso
> leaf, gobo root julienned.
>
> I put more than one fritter's worth in there, and pull out a few with my
> fingers. Chopsticks work too, but fingers are faster, and there's a
> trick later. Anyway, I plop in three or four fritters at a time.
>
> The oil is usually clean oil, because I do this infrequently.
> Sometimes, I'll add a little old oil to get it to crisp up faster, but,
> that can sometimes backfire, and the oil will go dirty too soon.
>
> If the oil gets too dirty and "wears out," you have to pour some off and
> add clean oil. The oil matters a lot, because it is part of the flavor
> of the tempura. (Think about it.) There is a special kind of strainer
> to scoop off the bits of dough, before they carbonize and pollute the
> oil. (These bits are good on soup, or as an unhealthy snack.) A
> slotted spoon can do in a pinch, but the strainer is good to own.
>
> If you like a really elaborate fritter, with all kinds of spidery spikes
> of fried dough on it, you can achieve this with a little daring move.
> Dip your fingers in the batter, and sprinkle bits of batter onto the
> fritters as they fry. The motion I use is "flicking a snot off the tip
> of my thumb, but with more fingers."
>
> Do not put your fingers into the oil. LOL.
>
> Also, the last trick is to drain the tempura on a rack, on a warmed up
> plate. You need to let the vegetables' steam escape and not mess up the
> greasy, crispy, fried dough.
>
> The final fritter I make is the chopped onion fritter. I just add
> chopped green onions to the remaning batter, and then make onion
> fritters. These are really good, and I prefer them to some of the real
> tempura.
>
> The tempura aesthetic is different from other kinds of fried foods.
> It's about the balance of the batter, the ingredient, and the oil. It's
> almost as if the ingredient is there, mainly, to flavor the batter, and
> the batter is there to be flavored by the oil. Then, when the tempura
> is dunked into the sauce, the oil and sauce mix into something that will
> flavor the rice. Then, alla sudden, it's also about the quality of the
> rice.
>
> It's kind of like sushi. You start out thinking it's about the fish.
> Then you realize it's really about the rice too, because bad rice can
> ruin sushi. Then, you think you've got it understood, and you get
> pickier about the fish, because, well, there are so few ingredients,
> that every ingredient matters.

What is it about ordinary chunks of diced pork that makes the batter fail?
Presumably a marinade would give the meat too much liquid. But what about
some dried spices?

Versy


"decay" > wrote in message
...
> FreddieN wrote:
> > "Versy Tyle" > wrote in message
> > news > >
> >>Sorry if it's a FAQ, but how do you get tempura batter to be crisp, and
> >
> > not
> >
> >>like an omlette hanging off your chunks of pork? I had believed it was,
> >>possibly, the way I stored the morcels before serving; but spacing them
> >
> > all
> >
> >>apart on a grill at moderate heat, is something that one would think
would
> >>dry them out - but still I feel it's too soggy; it seems that way the
> >
> > moment
> >
> >>I take them out of the (very hot) fat.
> >>Thanks,
> >>Versy
> >>
> >
> >
> > There is no such thing as Pork tempura in Japan.
> > There is Tonkatsu which is Pork cutlet with Panko,
> > but thats something else.
> > Consequently you're not going to get any really good info
> > from people who make "pork tempura".
> > Tempura batter is chilled usually with Ice to create the thin cripsy
batter
> > covering that tempura is famous for. After dipping into the batter make
sure
> > you don't have excess batter. A thin crust is a must for decent Tempura.
> > If you insist on using Pork make sure they are thin slices. Tempura
cooks
> > in a very short amount of time. People who know how to cook tempura
don't
> > even time it, they can tell by the change in the sound of the food
frying,
> > which occurs when the moisture content of the food being fried changes.
>
> Yeah, that's what I was thinking! Pork tempura, how odd. But, I can
> see it working if you slice it into thin julienned strips, or hammer it
> out to tenderize it first.
>
> Here's how I do tempura. Haven't done it in a couple years, so it's
rusty.
>
> First, mix a spoon of baking poweder into around a cup or two of flour.
> Also, if you have potato starch, add a few spoons. Potato starch
> seems to help with the crispness. It's not critical, though.
>
> Then, crack an egg over it, and add ice water. Stir it up a little bit,
> but leave it very lumpy. Keep adding water until it's the consistency
> of a thick soup or a moderately thin gravy. Then add a couple ice
> cubes. The lumps, baking powder, and melting ice will leave the batter
> inconsistent, and prone to "explode" in the oil, making for a crispier
> shell of batter.
>
> Also, the thinness of the batter is pretty important. You want the
> batter to form a shell, not a blob or a capsule. Keep it thin.
>
> Then, my favorite things to add to the batter are julienned carrots
> (nowadays, they use a slice, but I like the old-school julinenned),
> green beans (raw), cleaned and flattened shrimp, sliced mushroom, shiso
> leaf, gobo root julienned.
>
> I put more than one fritter's worth in there, and pull out a few with my
> fingers. Chopsticks work too, but fingers are faster, and there's a
> trick later. Anyway, I plop in three or four fritters at a time.
>
> The oil is usually clean oil, because I do this infrequently.
> Sometimes, I'll add a little old oil to get it to crisp up faster, but,
> that can sometimes backfire, and the oil will go dirty too soon.
>
> If the oil gets too dirty and "wears out," you have to pour some off and
> add clean oil. The oil matters a lot, because it is part of the flavor
> of the tempura. (Think about it.) There is a special kind of strainer
> to scoop off the bits of dough, before they carbonize and pollute the
> oil. (These bits are good on soup, or as an unhealthy snack.) A
> slotted spoon can do in a pinch, but the strainer is good to own.
>
> If you like a really elaborate fritter, with all kinds of spidery spikes
> of fried dough on it, you can achieve this with a little daring move.
> Dip your fingers in the batter, and sprinkle bits of batter onto the
> fritters as they fry. The motion I use is "flicking a snot off the tip
> of my thumb, but with more fingers."
>
> Do not put your fingers into the oil. LOL.
>
> Also, the last trick is to drain the tempura on a rack, on a warmed up
> plate. You need to let the vegetables' steam escape and not mess up the
> greasy, crispy, fried dough.
>
> The final fritter I make is the chopped onion fritter. I just add
> chopped green onions to the remaning batter, and then make onion
> fritters. These are really good, and I prefer them to some of the real
> tempura.
>
> The tempura aesthetic is different from other kinds of fried foods.
> It's about the balance of the batter, the ingredient, and the oil. It's
> almost as if the ingredient is there, mainly, to flavor the batter, and
> the batter is there to be flavored by the oil. Then, when the tempura
> is dunked into the sauce, the oil and sauce mix into something that will
> flavor the rice. Then, alla sudden, it's also about the quality of the
> rice.
>
> It's kind of like sushi. You start out thinking it's about the fish.
> Then you realize it's really about the rice too, because bad rice can
> ruin sushi. Then, you think you've got it understood, and you get
> pickier about the fish, because, well, there are so few ingredients,
> that every ingredient matters.

What is it about ordinary chunks of diced pork that makes the batter fail?
Presumably a marinade would give the meat too much liquid. But what about
some dried spices?

Versy


"decay" > wrote in message
...
> FreddieN wrote:
> > "Versy Tyle" > wrote in message
> > news > >
> >>Sorry if it's a FAQ, but how do you get tempura batter to be crisp, and
> >
> > not
> >
> >>like an omlette hanging off your chunks of pork? I had believed it was,
> >>possibly, the way I stored the morcels before serving; but spacing them
> >
> > all
> >
> >>apart on a grill at moderate heat, is something that one would think
would
> >>dry them out - but still I feel it's too soggy; it seems that way the
> >
> > moment
> >
> >>I take them out of the (very hot) fat.
> >>Thanks,
> >>Versy
> >>
> >
> >
> > There is no such thing as Pork tempura in Japan.
> > There is Tonkatsu which is Pork cutlet with Panko,
> > but thats something else.
> > Consequently you're not going to get any really good info
> > from people who make "pork tempura".
> > Tempura batter is chilled usually with Ice to create the thin cripsy
batter
> > covering that tempura is famous for. After dipping into the batter make
sure
> > you don't have excess batter. A thin crust is a must for decent Tempura.
> > If you insist on using Pork make sure they are thin slices. Tempura
cooks
> > in a very short amount of time. People who know how to cook tempura
don't
> > even time it, they can tell by the change in the sound of the food
frying,
> > which occurs when the moisture content of the food being fried changes.
>
> Yeah, that's what I was thinking! Pork tempura, how odd. But, I can
> see it working if you slice it into thin julienned strips, or hammer it
> out to tenderize it first.
>
> Here's how I do tempura. Haven't done it in a couple years, so it's
rusty.
>
> First, mix a spoon of baking poweder into around a cup or two of flour.
> Also, if you have potato starch, add a few spoons. Potato starch
> seems to help with the crispness. It's not critical, though.
>
> Then, crack an egg over it, and add ice water. Stir it up a little bit,
> but leave it very lumpy. Keep adding water until it's the consistency
> of a thick soup or a moderately thin gravy. Then add a couple ice
> cubes. The lumps, baking powder, and melting ice will leave the batter
> inconsistent, and prone to "explode" in the oil, making for a crispier
> shell of batter.
>
> Also, the thinness of the batter is pretty important. You want the
> batter to form a shell, not a blob or a capsule. Keep it thin.
>
> Then, my favorite things to add to the batter are julienned carrots
> (nowadays, they use a slice, but I like the old-school julinenned),
> green beans (raw), cleaned and flattened shrimp, sliced mushroom, shiso
> leaf, gobo root julienned.
>
> I put more than one fritter's worth in there, and pull out a few with my
> fingers. Chopsticks work too, but fingers are faster, and there's a
> trick later. Anyway, I plop in three or four fritters at a time.
>
> The oil is usually clean oil, because I do this infrequently.
> Sometimes, I'll add a little old oil to get it to crisp up faster, but,
> that can sometimes backfire, and the oil will go dirty too soon.
>
> If the oil gets too dirty and "wears out," you have to pour some off and
> add clean oil. The oil matters a lot, because it is part of the flavor
> of the tempura. (Think about it.) There is a special kind of strainer
> to scoop off the bits of dough, before they carbonize and pollute the
> oil. (These bits are good on soup, or as an unhealthy snack.) A
> slotted spoon can do in a pinch, but the strainer is good to own.
>
> If you like a really elaborate fritter, with all kinds of spidery spikes
> of fried dough on it, you can achieve this with a little daring move.
> Dip your fingers in the batter, and sprinkle bits of batter onto the
> fritters as they fry. The motion I use is "flicking a snot off the tip
> of my thumb, but with more fingers."
>
> Do not put your fingers into the oil. LOL.
>
> Also, the last trick is to drain the tempura on a rack, on a warmed up
> plate. You need to let the vegetables' steam escape and not mess up the
> greasy, crispy, fried dough.
>
> The final fritter I make is the chopped onion fritter. I just add
> chopped green onions to the remaning batter, and then make onion
> fritters. These are really good, and I prefer them to some of the real
> tempura.
>
> The tempura aesthetic is different from other kinds of fried foods.
> It's about the balance of the batter, the ingredient, and the oil. It's
> almost as if the ingredient is there, mainly, to flavor the batter, and
> the batter is there to be flavored by the oil. Then, when the tempura
> is dunked into the sauce, the oil and sauce mix into something that will
> flavor the rice. Then, alla sudden, it's also about the quality of the
> rice.
>
> It's kind of like sushi. You start out thinking it's about the fish.
> Then you realize it's really about the rice too, because bad rice can
> ruin sushi. Then, you think you've got it understood, and you get
> pickier about the fish, because, well, there are so few ingredients,
> that every ingredient matters.

"Versy Tyle" > wrote in message =
...
> What is it about ordinary chunks of diced pork that makes the batter =
fail?
> Presumably a marinade would give the meat too much liquid. But what =
about
> some dried spices?
>=20
> Versy
>=20

Probably because they are chunks, they retain too much moisture.
If you tried very thin slices of pork, it probably would work.
=20

"Versy Tyle" > wrote in message =
...
> What is it about ordinary chunks of diced pork that makes the batter =
fail?
> Presumably a marinade would give the meat too much liquid. But what =
about
> some dried spices?
>=20
> Versy
>=20

Probably because they are chunks, they retain too much moisture.
If you tried very thin slices of pork, it probably would work.
=20

"Versy Tyle" > wrote:
> Oh, and what 'sauce' is it you refer to? How do you make tempura sauce?
> []
A basic tempura sauce would consist of one cup of dashi, 1/3 cup shoyu and
1/4 cup mirin, salt to taste. Because you're talking pork, you might prefer
a tonkatsu sauce, two teaspoons prepared mustard, 1/2 cup dashi, four
tablespoons shoyu and two tablespoons ketchup or fruit sauce.

--
Nick, Cogito, ergo armatum sum


Thank a Veteran and Support Our Troops! You are not forgotten. Thanks.

"Versy Tyle" > wrote:
> Oh, and what 'sauce' is it you refer to? How do you make tempura sauce?
> []
A basic tempura sauce would consist of one cup of dashi, 1/3 cup shoyu and
1/4 cup mirin, salt to taste. Because you're talking pork, you might prefer
a tonkatsu sauce, two teaspoons prepared mustard, 1/2 cup dashi, four
tablespoons shoyu and two tablespoons ketchup or fruit sauce.

--
Nick, Cogito, ergo armatum sum


Thank a Veteran and Support Our Troops! You are not forgotten. Thanks.

Versy Tyle wrote:
>
> Bonita?

Bonito? Shaved dried fish.

> > wrote in message
> ...
> > "Versy Tyle" > wrote:
> > > []
> > > Forgove my ignorance, but what are dashi and shoyu?
> > >
> > Dashi:
> >
> > A soup made from a 4" square of dried konbu (kelp seaweed) and 1-1/2 oz.
> > hana-katsuo (dried bonita flakes) boiled for ten or 15 minutes in three
> > cups of water.
> >
> > Shoyu: Soy sauce
> >
> > --
> > Nick, Cogito, ergo armatum sum
> >
> >
> > Thank a Veteran and Support Our Troops! You are not forgotten. Thanks.

> wrote in message
...
> "Versy Tyle" > wrote:
> > Oh, and what 'sauce' is it you refer to? How do you make tempura sauce?
> > []
> A basic tempura sauce would consist of one cup of dashi, 1/3 cup shoyu and
> 1/4 cup mirin, salt to taste. Because you're talking pork, you might
prefer
> a tonkatsu sauce, two teaspoons prepared mustard, 1/2 cup dashi, four
> tablespoons shoyu and two tablespoons ketchup or fruit sauce.
>

Forgove my ignorance, but what are dashi and shoyu?

Versy

> --
> Nick, Cogito, ergo armatum sum
>
>
> Thank a Veteran and Support Our Troops! You are not forgotten. Thanks.

"Versy Tyle" > wrote:
> []
> Forgove my ignorance, but what are dashi and shoyu?
>
Dashi:

A soup made from a 4" square of dried konbu (kelp seaweed) and 1-1/2 oz.
hana-katsuo (dried bonita flakes) boiled for ten or 15 minutes in three
cups of water.

Shoyu: Soy sauce

--
Nick, Cogito, ergo armatum sum


Thank a Veteran and Support Our Troops! You are not forgotten. Thanks.

"Versy Tyle" > wrote:
> []
> Forgove my ignorance, but what are dashi and shoyu?
>
Dashi:

A soup made from a 4" square of dried konbu (kelp seaweed) and 1-1/2 oz.
hana-katsuo (dried bonita flakes) boiled for ten or 15 minutes in three
cups of water.

Shoyu: Soy sauce

--
Nick, Cogito, ergo armatum sum


Thank a Veteran and Support Our Troops! You are not forgotten. Thanks.

"Versy Tyle" > wrote:
> Bonita?
>
Versy! It's a fish. I believe a type of tuna.

--
Nick, Cogito, ergo armatum sum


Thank a Veteran and Support Our Troops! You are not forgotten. Thanks.

> wrote in message
...
> A soup made from a 4" square of dried konbu (kelp seaweed) and 1-1/2 oz.
> hana-katsuo (dried bonita flakes) boiled for ten or 15 minutes in three
> cups of water.

A couple of minor mods to the above, if you don't mind:

First, the konbu should never be boiled; if you boil it,
it imparts a bitter taste. The konbu should be removed
from the dashi before it reaches a boil. Also, not meaning
to play spelling police, but it may help the original poster
find the ingredients a bit easier: it's "bonito".

Bob M.

"Bob Myers" > wrote:
> > wrote in message

> > A soup made from a 4" square of dried konbu (kelp seaweed) and 1-1/2
> > oz. hana-katsuo (dried bonita flakes) boiled for ten or 15 minutes in
> > three cups of water.
>
> A couple of minor mods to the above, if you don't mind:
>
> First, the konbu should never be boiled; if you boil it,
> it imparts a bitter taste. The konbu should be removed
> from the dashi before it reaches a boil. Also, not meaning
> to play spelling police, but it may help the original poster
> find the ingredients a bit easier: it's "bonito".
>
Bob, I don't mind at all. You are correct on both counts. My failure to
exercise due diligence. Thank you.

--
Nick. Christmas Day, the twenty-fifth Day of December, being established a
Federal holiday by an Act of Congress, June 28, 1870: Merry Christmas!

Thank a Veteran and Support Our Troops! You are not forgotten. Thanks.

Versy Tyle wrote:
> Oh, and what 'sauce' is it you refer to? How do you make tempura sauce?
> Thanks,
> Versy

I'm lazy. I use Memmi soup base. There's also a thing called flavored
shoyu that also works. It's all the same thing: fish broth and soy
sauce. You can make it with Hon Dashi (bonito broth powder) and soy sauce.

You just heat up some water in the microwave, and then add some of the
soup base until it's a mild broth. You can garnish it with some grated
daikon (radish). (Radish will do in a pinch.) Grate it real fine.

This might be crude, but, when I'm done with the broth, I pour it over
my rice. I like how the oil and tempura add flavor.

"James Silverton" > wrote in message =
...
>=20
> "Bob Myers" > wrote in message=20
> ...
> >
> > > wrote in message
> > ...
> >> A soup made from a 4" square of dried konbu (kelp seaweed) and=20
> >> 1-1/2 oz.
> >> hana-katsuo (dried bonita flakes) boiled for ten or 15 minutes in=20
> >> three
> >> cups of water.
> >
> > A couple of minor mods to the above, if you don't mind:
> >
> > First, the konbu should never be boiled; if you boil it,
> > it imparts a bitter taste. The konbu should be removed
> > from the dashi before it reaches a boil. Also, not meaning
> > to play spelling police, but it may help the original poster
> > find the ingredients a bit easier: it's "bonito".
>=20
> You can buy the complete mix, seaweed and all, for the soup under the=20
> name Hon Dashi. There is argument that I am not qualified to judge but =

> some people say bonito is a type of sardine and some say a type of=20
> tuna. It's certainly a fish and Hon Dashi soup *can* be simmered. I=20
> think it improves the taste!
>=20

Katsuo (bonito) is a small member of the tuna family and Katsuo bushi =
the dried hard
form is used for making dashi.
Sardines are members of the herring family, and their close relative the =
anchovy called
iriko is also used for makig dashi.
The flavor of the dashi from these two fish are distictly different, in =
that you could tell
from one sip which was used.

Musashi

"James Silverton" > wrote in message
...
> You can buy the complete mix, seaweed and all, for the soup under the
> name Hon Dashi. There is argument that I am not qualified to judge but
> some people say bonito is a type of sardine and some say a type of
> tuna. It's certainly a fish and Hon Dashi soup *can* be simmered. I
> think it improves the taste!

Simmered, sure - but unless we're using very different meanings
for these terms, a simmer is not a boil.

Bob M.