Tempura

Alton Brown

Recipe courtesy Alton Brown, 2010

Show: Good EatsEpisode: Fry Hard III: Fry, Tempura, Fry!

Rated 5 stars out of 5
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  • Read 8 Reviews
Total Time:
1 hr 0 min
Prep
25 min
Cook
35 min
Yield:
6 to 8 servings
Level:
Intermediate
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Ingredients

  • 5 ounces unbleached cake flour
  • 5 ounces white rice flour
  • 1 1/2 quarts vegetable oil
  • 1 large egg, beaten
  • 1 1/2 cups cold seltzer water
  • 1/2 cup vodka
  • 5 to 6 ounces sweet potato, peeled and cut into 1/8-inch thick slices
  • Kosher salt
  • 1/4 pound fresh green beans, trimmed
  • 8 stems flat-leaf parsley
  • 1/2 pound shrimp, 31 to 35 count, head and tail-on, peeled and deveined
  • 1/2 pound tilapia fillets, cut into 1-inch pieces
  • Ice

Directions

Whisk the cake flour and rice flour together in a medium glass bowl and divide it in half. Set aside.

Heat the vegetable oil in a 5-quart Dutch oven over high heat until it reaches 375 degrees F on a deep-fry thermometer.

Once the temperature reaches 365 degrees F, whisk the egg, seltzer water and vodka, in a medium mixing bowl and divide it in half. Put half of the mixture in the refrigerator to reserve. Pour half of the liquid mixture into half of the dry mixture and whisk to combine, about 10 to 15 seconds. Some lumps may remain. Set the glass bowl in a larger bowl lined with ice.

Dip the sweet potatoes into the batter using tongs, drain for 2 to 3 seconds over the bowl, and then add to the hot oil. Adjust the heat to maintain between 375 and 400 degrees F. Fry 6 to 8 pieces, at a time, until puffy and very light golden, about 1 to 2 minutes Remove to a cooling rack lined with 3 layers of paper towels set over a half sheet pan. Sprinkle with salt, if desired. Repeat the same dipping and frying procedure with the green beans and parsley leaves. Put the fried vegetables on a serving platter and serve the as an appetizer while preparing the seafood.

Whisk together the remaining halves of dry and liquid batter ingredients as above and repeat dipping and frying with the shrimp and fish fillets. Sprinkle with salt, if desired, transfer the fish to a serving platter and serve immediately.

Cook's Note: Tempura may be held in a 200 degree F oven for up to 30 minutes, though texture is compromised.

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Newest Ratings and Reviews

Read all 8 reviews

  • on February 15, 2012

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    Did the whole production for Valentine's Day and the girlfriend was SHOCKED that homemade tempura could taste so good! For the veggies we used broccoli florets (cut in half and regular potato (at her request and both worked out really really well. Also, used a deep fryer cause my roommate happens to have one. Also worked great!

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  • on January 08, 2012

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    Fantastic. I swapped my own veggie choices due to the needs of my overstuffed crisper; I ended up using broccoli, cauliflower, portobello mushrooms, and eggplant. Everything was light, crispy, and perfectly umami (especially the broccoli!!!. Definitely trust Alton on his recommended quantity of oil; I skimped and used only 2 pints and found that it was definitely not enough. Alton always knows better than I do! :

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  • on December 27, 2011

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    this is the best tasting and technique for Japanese tempura ever! it is tasty and light. I even tested with the shrimp by adding jalopeno peppers and it was amazing. thanks Alton. your show is entertaining, educating and very detailed.

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