Tempura batter: cold and lumpy
Mix flour with water and the proteins link into gluten, the stretchy network that makes bread chewy. Tempura needs the opposite: a thin, brittle, lacy shell. So use cold water, stir a few strokes and leave the lumps.
Fry in hot oil, in small batches
Fry at about 170 to 180°C (340 to 355°F). The water in the batter flashes to steam and leaves a crisp, lacy network behind. Too many pieces at once drops the oil temperature, and the batter soaks up grease instead of crisping.
Test yourself
Questions from the interactive lesson, with the answer and the why.
Why is tempura batter mixed with ice-cold water?
Cold water slows gluten from forming. Less gluten keeps the shell crisp and lacy instead of chewy.
True or false: Whisking tempura batter until perfectly smooth makes a chewier, less crisp coating.
True. Over-whisking builds gluten, which makes the coating chewy and bready.
What went wrong? You whisk tempura batter for two minutes until smooth, then let it sit on a warm counter. The fried coating is heavy and chewy.
Overmixing and warmth built gluten in the batter. Mix briefly, keep it cold, and fry right away for a light shell.
Fill the blank: Stirring tempura batter less means less ___, which keeps the crust crisp.
Stirring tempura batter less means less gluten, which keeps the crust crisp. Gluten forms from stirring flour and water, and it makes a crust chewy.
Your tempura comes out pale and greasy. What is the likeliest cause?
The oil was too cool, often from too many pieces. Cool oil does not set the shell fast, so the batter takes up grease.
What oil temperature is a good target for tempura?
About 175 C. About 170 to 180°C (340 to 355°F) sets the lacy shell without scorching it.