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I THINK IT'S SAFE TO SAY
THAT WE HAVE DONE OUR FAIR SHARE OF FRYING ON THIS PROGRAM.
AFTER ALL, WE HAVE PANFRIED. WE HAVE WOK-FRIED.
WE HAVE SAUTéED, DEEP FAT-FRIED.
WHY, WE DEDICATED TWO ENTIRE EPISODES
TO THE ATTAINMENT OF GOLDEN BROWN DELICIOUSNESS.
ALAS, THAT WAS ALL CHILD'S PLAY COMPARED TO...
(loud crash)
DID YOU HEAR A...
ANYWAY, AS I WAS SAYING,
UM, THERE EXISTS IN THE PANTHEON OF FRIED FOOD
A DISH OF SUCH LETHAL CUNNING, SUCH DEVILISH DESIGN...
(loud crash)
SUCH CONFOUNDING DELIGHTFULNESS,
SUCH TERRIFYING, NITPICKING BRILLIANCE,
THAT IT COULD ONLY COME FROM JAPAN.
(loud crash)
AH, THIS MUST BE CONSTRUCTION OR SOMETHING.
UM, THE METHOD I SPEAK OF IS MYTHIC AND MAGICAL...
(crashing continues)
AND IT'S HAUNTED THE DREAMS OF MANY A CHEF.
I SPEAK, OF COURSE, OF THE INFAMOUS--
AAH! TEMPURA!
(roaring)
IT IS THE HORRIBLE MONSTER TEMPURA,
WHO COMES ASHORE EVERY 100 YEARS
TO FEAST ON THE FLESH OF... COOKS!
(screaming)
(grunts)
(monster growling)
AAH!
(growling)
(crunching and slobbering)
OH, THE HUMANITY! WHO WILL SAVE US?
OKAY, IS TEMPURA REALLY A MONSTER?
NO.
IT IS SIMPLY THE PINNACLE OF THE FRYING ARTS.
IT SEEMS LIKE A MONSTER
BECAUSE DOING IT RIGHT CAN BE SO DARN DAUNTING.
EVEN MOST JAPANESE COOKS DON'T DARE ATTEMPT IT AT HOME.
WHEN THEY WANT TEMPURA, THEY GO TO A TEMPURA RESTAURANT.
AND YET, YOU KNOW, IF WE STAND UP
AND FIGHT OUR IRRATIONAL FEARS
WITH SOUND SCIENCE, SIMPLE, EVERYDAY INGREDIENTS,
WELL-TUNED TECHNIQUES, AND BASIC-ISSUE HARDWARE,
TEMPURA CAN MAGICALLY MORPH
FROM MONSTROUS...
(roaring)
TO MONSTROUSLY...
♪ GOOD EATS ♪
Closed Captions provided by Scripps Networks, LLC.
Captioned by Closed Captioning Services, Inc.
(sighs) IN JAPANESE CUISINE,
THERE ARE SEVERAL FORMS OF DEEP-FRIED FOODS, OR AGEMONO,
ONE OF WHICH IS KOROMO AGE, OR BATTER-FRIED FOODS.
NOW THE MOST TYPICAL BATTER-FRIED FOOD IS TEMPURA,
WHICH IS COMPOSED OF LIGHTLY BATTERED VEGETABLES AND FISH,
WHICH ARE QUICK-FRIED.
NOW BEFORE ATTEMPTING THIS FEAT OF EDIBLE LEGERDEMAIN AT HOME,
YOU MAY WISH TO SEEK OUT A JAPANESE RESTAURANT
WITH A REPUTATION FOR TEMPURA.
IF THE ESTABLISHMENT IS TEMPURA-SERIOUS,
THE DISTANCE BETWEEN HOT OIL AND PATRON
WILL BE AS SHORT AS POSSIBLE,
AS TEMPURA SHOULD BE CONSUMED AS SOON AS IT, YOU KNOW,
WON'T BURN OFF THE INSIDE OF YOUR MOUTH.
OOH, HERE'S SOME OF MY FAVORITE--
SWEET POTATO. ARIGATO.
IT'S INTERESTING TO NOTE THAT LIKE SO MANY TECHNOLOGIES
PERFECTED BY THE JAPANESE,
FROM TRANSISTOR RADIOS TO TRAINS,
CELL PHONES TO PEACHES,
TEMPURA IS A WESTERN IMPORT, OKAY?
NOW IN 1494,
SPAIN AND PORTUGAL
SIGNED THE TREATY OF TORDESILLAS,
WHICH DIVIDED ALL NEWLY DISCOVERED LANDS,
MEANING MOST OF THE PLANET, BETWEEN THEM
FOR THE PURPOSE OF BRINGING CATHOLICISM
AND, OF COURSE, TRADE TO THE HEATHEN WORLD,
A MISSION FOR WHICH THEY HAD THE BLESSING OF THE POPE.
NOW JAPAN FELL INTO PORTUGAL'S TERRITORY.
AND IN 1549,
A JESUIT BY THE NAME OF FRANCIS XAVIER
LANDED AT KAGOSHIMA
AND BEGAN HIS GOOD WORK.
NOW BY CONVERTING THE NOBILITY FIRST,
THE PORTUGUESE MET WITH CONSIDERABLE SUCCESS INITIALLY,
EVEN TEACHING THE JAPANESE A FEW CULINARY TRICKS
TO HELP THEM NAVIGATE CATHOLIC FASTING DAYS
SUCH AS THE, UH, QUATUOR TEMPORA,
I THINK, WHICH TOOK PLACE EVERY QUARTER OF THE YEAR.
NOW DURING THIS TIME, THE CLERGY CONSUMED MOSTLY FISH,
WHICH THEY TYPICALLY BATTER-FRIED.
NOW CHRISTIANITY WAS EVENTUALLY OUTLAWED IN JAPAN
IN, UH, 1587.
BUT THE METHOD, WHOSE NAME MORPHED
FROM TEMPORA TO TEMPURA, STUCK.
AND OVER TIME, UH, THE JAPANESE REFINED IT
INTO A HIGH ART,
SOMETHING THAT I INTEND TO DO RIGHT NOW.
SO WE'LL JUST TAKE A COUPLE OF PIECES
BACK TO THE LAB FOR ANALYSIS.
(clears throat) DOMO ARIGATO.
FURTHER EXAMINATION OF THE SAMPLE
REVEALS A THOROUGHLY COOKED BASE FOOD
ENCAPSULATED IN A CRYSTALLINE CRUST
WHICH EXHIBITS PROPER ADHESION AND A SNAPPY,
WELL, SNAP.
WHAT'S MORE, THERE IS NO OUTWARD SIGN
OF GREASINESS WHATSOEVER.
IT'S NO WONDER THAT TEMPURA
SCARES THE TOQUES OFF SO MANY COOKS,
AS AMAZING FORCES ARE CLEARLY AT WORK.
BUT MONSTROUS? I THINK NOT.
THE WAY I SEE IT, IF WE'RE GOING TO BE VICTORIOUS OVER TEMPURA,
THE FOOD MUST BE PREPPED PERFECTLY.
(bell dings)
THE OIL MUST BE CAREFULLY CHOSEN...
(bell dings)
AND HEATED TO AN EXACT TEMPERATURE.
AND THE BATTER--WELL, THAT'S GONNA BE THE, UH, TRICKY PART.
(bell dings)
IT MUST BE LIGHT AND CRISP, FLAVORFUL, BUT NOT GREASY.
THAT'LL BE A CHALLENGE.
BUT FIRST, WE PREP THE FOOD.
(bell dings)
TRADITIONALLY, TEMPURA IS A METHOD
FOR COOKING VEGETATION AND MILD WHITE SEAFOOD.
MY FAVORITES-- AH, SLENDER GREEN BEANS,
FRESH AS POSSIBLE, OF COURSE.
FLAT-LEAF PARSLEY--
UH, THE WIDER THE LEAVES, THE BETTER.
UH, SHRIMP--
MEDIUM, HEAD ON, FRESH, NEVER FROZEN.
AND, UH, WE'LL SAY 1/2 POUND OF TILAPIA FILLET--
A VERY, VERY MILD FISH, GOOD FOR TACOS AND TEMPURA.
THAT'S ABOUT IT. BUT WAIT, THERE'S MORE.
AHH. ROOT AND STORAGE VEGETABLES
HAVE ALWAYS... OCCUPIED A PLACE OF HONOR
AT THE TEMPURA TABLE.
UH, RENKON, OR LOTUS ROOT,
UH, KABOCHA SQUASH,
BAMBOO SHOOTS-- ALL HIGHLY PRIZED.
BUT AS I SAID, MY FAVORITE IS THE SWEET POTATO,
ORIGINALLY GROWN IN THE REGION AROUND KAGOSHIMA,
WHERE, OF COURSE, THE JESUITS, UH, FIRST LANDED.
NOW THE JAPANESE DEVELOPED
THEIR OWN VERSION OF THIS IMPORT,
UH, BUT THEY'RE A LITTLE TOUGH TO FIND.
SO YOU CAN USE ANYTHING, UH, THAT YOU WOULD GET
AT THE MEGA MART-- THE "JEWEL" VARIETY,
THE "BEAUREGARD" VARIETY, ARE FINE.
BUT I PREFER THE "GARNETS,"
BECAUSE THEY ARE THE PERFECT SIZE AND SHAPE
FOR THIS APPLICATION.
ALL RIGHT, LISTEN UP, TEMPURA COOKS FAST,
SO TEMPURA COOKS HOT.
AND SO OUR TARGET FOODS REQUIRE
A HIGH SURFACE-TO-MASS RATIO--
NO PROBLEM WITH THE BEANS, UH, WHICH REQUIRE
ONLY A CURSORY TRIMMING.
OR FOR THE PARSLEY-- UH, WE'LL JUST TAKE
SOME OF THE STEM OFF. THERE, THAT'S PERFECT.
AS FOR THE SHRIMP,
WE NEED TO REMOVE THE SHELLS AND THE LEGS.
SO I JUST USE SCISSORS AND SNIP 'EM
RIGHT DOWN THE BACK.
WE WANT TO LEAVE THE TAILS AND THE HEADS ON.
THAT'S IMPORTANT FOR TEMPURA.
NOW AS FAR AS THE TILAPIA,
I JUST SPLIT EACH ONE OF THE FILLETS
AND THEN CUT INTO 1-INCH SLICES.
AS FOR THE SWEET POTATO, IT IS HARD,
AND THAT MEANS WE'LL NEED
EVEN MORE SURFACE AREA TO COOK IT QUICKLY.
SO THIN SLICES ARE IN ORDER, SAY 1/8 OF AN INCH MAX.
AND ALTHOUGH I CERTAINLY COULD DO THAT WITH A KNIFE,
YOU KNOW, IF I WANTED, IT WOULD BE HARD,
AND IT WOULD TAKE A LONG TIME. SO WE BREAK OUT THE MANDOLINE.
(gasps)
THING, DO YOU NEVER GROW WEARY OF THAT GAG,
BECAUSE I, FOR ONE, THINK IT WAS FUNNY ABOUT 1.2 TIMES.
I SPEAK, OF COURSE, OF THIS.
NOW, UH, THIS IS
A NICE LITTLE, HANDHELD, CERAMIC-BLADED MANDOLINE.
YOU CAN USE ANY SLICER WITH A FIXED BLADE LIKE THIS.
BUT IF IT COMES WITH A HAND GUARD,
ALWAYS MAKE SURE YOU UTILIZE IT.
AND, UM, THIS-- THIS NEEDS TO BE PEELED.
(slide whistle plays)
THANK YOU VERY MUCH. HERE WE GO.
SO ONCE YOU HAVE ALL OF YOUR MISE EN PLACE DONE,
GO AHEAD AND WRAP AND REFRIGERATE,
UH, SO THAT YOU CAN CONTEMPLATE THE BATTER.
♪♪
♪♪
BOY HOWDY, I WISH I HAD A NICKEL
FOR EVERY CARD, LETTER, FAX, TEXT, OR E-MAIL I'VE RECEIVED
ASKING WHY I DON'T UTILIZE
ONE OF THE SHINY, NEW COUNTERTOP DEEP-FRYERS
THAT HAS, YOU KNOW, COME ON THE MARKET IN RECENT YEARS.
WELL, I'LL TELL YOU. EVEN IF THIS DEVICE
COULD REACH THE TEMPERATURE IT CLAIMS,
WHICH, UH, I HAVE YET TO WITNESS,
AND EVEN IF IT WASN'T A TREMENDOUS PAIN TO USE,
WHICH IT IS,
AND EVEN IF IT WAS AS QUICK AND EASY TO CLEAN
AS IT SAYS, WHICH IT ISN'T,
IT WOULD STILL BE, AT BEST, A UNI-TASKER,
AND YOU KNOW WHAT I THINK OF--WAIT.
YOU KNOW, THAT'S UNFAIR.
I CAN THINK OF ONE OTHER THING THIS WOULD BE GOOD FOR.
NOW LET'S CONSIDER SOME MORE TRADITIONAL VESSELS, SHALL WE?
ONCE UPON A TIME, TEMPURA WAS FRIED UP
IN HEAVY, IRON, WOK-LIKE VESSELS CALLED...
THE METAL IS EXTREMELY THICK,
SO THIS TAKES A LONG TIME TO HEAT UP.
AND THE NARROW BOWL SHAPE MAKES IT ALL BUT IMPOSSIBLE
TO COOK MORE THAN ONE PIECE OF TEMPURA AT A TIME.
IF YOU ASK ME, THIS IS A TOOL
FOR VERY, VERY PICKY PROFESSIONALS,
AND THAT CERTAINLY RULES ME OUT.
UM, NOW WE COULD USE
THIS NICE MODERN TEMPURA POT.
IT'S MADE OUT OF THIN IRON,
SO IT RESPONDS TO TEMPERATURE CHANGES QUICKLY.
IT'S COATED, SO IT'S NONREACTIVE--NO RUSTING.
IT'S NICE--A REALLY, REALLY FINE MULTITASKER.
BUT, UH, IT'S EXPENSIVE AND KINDA HARD TO FIND,
UNLIKE THE VESSEL THAT WE SO OFTEN TURN TO
WHEN WE DEEP-FRY.
I SPEAK, OF COURSE, OF THE CAST-IRON DUTCH OVEN.
IT IS CHEAP, READILY AVAILABLE, AND JUST HEAVY ENOUGH
TO MAKE HEAT CONTROL MORE MANAGEABLE.
SPEAKING OF HEAT MANAGEMENT,
I ALWAYS FRY WITH A FRY THERMOMETER.
AND I PREFER AN ANALOG MODEL OVER DIGITAL,
BECAUSE, UH, THAT LITTLE RISING RED COLUMN OF LIQUID
GIVES ME A BETTER INDICATION
OF HOW QUICKLY THERMAL CHANGES ARE TAKING PLACE IN THIS POT,
AND THAT'S IMPORTANT.
WHEN FACING THE DREAD TEMPURA MONSTER,
ONE MIGHT BE TEMPTED TO, UH, GET ALL FANCY
WITH THE FRY OIL.
AFTER ALL, MODERN COOKS HAVE ACCESS
TO DOZENS OF DIFFERENT OILS,
INCLUDING THOSE HARVESTED FROM NUTS,
SEEDS, FRUITS, VARIOUS VEGETATION.
SOME ARE COLD-PRESSED. OTHERS ARE UNREFINED.
ALL HAVE SPECIFIC FLAVOR PROFILES
AND OPTIMAL TEMPERATURE RANGES.
OH, ALTHOUGH SESAME OIL, FOR INSTANCE,
HAS OFTEN BEEN IMPLICATED IN CLASSIC TEMPURA SCENARIOS,
PLAIN, GOOD OL' VEGETABLE OIL
IS MY TEMPURA FUEL OF CHOICE,
BECAUSE IT IS COMPLETELY DEVOID OF FLAVOR.
IT IS CHEAP, BIODEGRADABLE,
AND IF I'M CAREFUL, I CAN FILTER IT FOR USE ANOTHER DAY.
1 1/2 QUARTS SHOULD DO THE JOB.
THE OIL IS IN.
THE THERMOMETER IS ATTACHED,
AND THE HEAT SET TO HIGH.
WE'RE LOOKING FOR 375 DEGREES.
AND KEEP IN MIND, OIL HEATS FASTER THAN WATER,
SO DON'T WANDER AWAY. THIS WILL HAPPEN QUICKLY.
MAKE SURE THE REST OF YOUR HARDWARE IS IN PLACE.
YOU'LL NEED TWO BOWLS. ICE WILL GO IN HERE.
THE BATTER WILL GO IN HERE-- MORE ON THAT LATER.
YOU'LL NEED SOME TONGS TO DELIVER THE FOOD
FROM THE BATTER OVER TO THE OIL.
WHEN THE FOOD IS READY, WE WILL RETRIEVE WITH A SPIDER
OR SOME OTHER STRAINING DEVICE TO THE DRAINING RIG.
MY DRAINING RIG--PAPER TOWELS ON TOP OF A COOLING RACK
ON TOP OF A SHEET PAN.
I ALSO HAVE STANDING BY THE FINAL RESTING PLACE--
SOME NICE SIMPLE PLATTERS.
AND LOOK--PLAIN WHITE PAPER.
THIS IS VERY TRADITIONAL FOR TEMPURA.
BUT MAKE SURE YOU DON'T FOLD IT STRAIGHT ON THE ANGLE.
YOU WANT IT TO BE JUST BARELY OFF-ANGLE.
BUT DON'T GET IT BACKWARDS, BECAUSE I'M PRETTY SURE
THAT MEANS, UH, "FUNERAL" IN JAPANESE.
IN THIS CUISINE, EVERYTHING MEANS SOMETHING.
BEHOLD,
THE JAPANESE CHARACTERS FOR TEMPURA,
WHICH TRANSLATES ROUGHLY INTO "FLOUR LIKE GAUZE"
OR "BATTER-LIKE REVEALING DRESS,"
DEPENDING ON HOW YOU READ IT.
NOW WHEN THE PORTUGUESE FIRST UNLEASHED TEMPURA...
(roaring)
UPON NIPPON,
THE BATTER WAS SIMPLY WATER, WHEAT FLOUR, AND EGG.
NOW I HAVE TRIED
EVERY POSSIBLE COMBINATION THEREOF,
AND CANNOT FOR THE LIFE OF ME COME UP WITH ANYTHING
EVEN REMOTELY LIKE THE SAMPLE
THAT WE EXAMINED EARLIER.
AS YOU CAN SEE-- CLUNKY, GREASY, NASTY,
LIKE REALLY BAD FISH-AND-CHIPS.
THE, UH, PROBLEM AS I SEE IT
IS, OF COURSE, GLUTEN.
(spring bouncing)
AS ANY GOOD "GOOD EATS" FAN KNOWS,
ANYTIME WE MIX WHEAT FLOUR AND WATER TOGETHER,
TWO MOLECULES-- GLUTENIN AND GLIADIN--
UNWIND AND INTERTWINE,
FORMING A RESILIENT, YET ELASTIC MATRIX.
GLUTEN IS SPRINGY. GLUTEN IS TOUGH.
AND WHAT'S WORSE,
GLUTEN HOLDS ON TO BOTH WATER AND FAT.
THIS TRANSLATES TO GUMMY, GREASY TEMPURA--
NOT EXACTLY "GAUZELIKE REVEALING DRESS"
OR WHATEVER IT WAS.
SO HERE'S THE GOAL-- WE'RE GONNA MINIMIZE THE GLUTEN.
THAT MEANS USING INGREDIENTS THAT MINIMIZE WATER
AND GLUTENIN AND GLIADIN.
(spring bouncing)
AND WE'RE GONNA MIX THE BATTER AS QUICKLY AS POSSIBLE.
AND SINCE GLUTEN CAN FORM JUST SITTING IN THE BOWL,
WE'RE GONNA MAKE THE BATTER
AT THE VERY LAST POSSIBLE MOMENT BEFORE FRYING.
(spring bounces)
FIRST THINGS FIRST-- LET'S RECONSIDER THE FLOUR.
NOW INSTEAD OF 10 OUNCES OF ALL-PURPOSE FLOUR,
LET'S TRY 5 OUNCES EACH OF RICE FLOUR
AND UNBLEACHED CAKE FLOUR.
NOW RICE FLOUR--EASILY OBTAINED AT MOST MEGA MARTS,
AND CERTAINLY ASIAN MARKETS,
CONTAINS NO GLUTEN-FORMING MOLECULES.
AND CAKE FLOUR IS FINELY MILLED
SO THAT IT INTEGRATES QUICKLY INTO BATTERS.
WHY IS UNBLEACHED IMPORTANT?
WELL, LET'S CONSIDER A STARCH GRANULE, SHALL WE?
THE PROCESS OF BLEACHING
ISN'T JUST ABOUT MAKING THE FLOUR WHITE,
THOUGH THAT CERTAINLY IS A FACTOR.
IT'S REALLY ABOUT MAKING THE STARCH GRANULES THEMSELVES
MORE FAT-FRIENDLY,
A POSITIVE CHARACTERISTIC IN CAKE BAKING.
NOW BLEACHING CHEMICALLY CRACKS OPEN
THE STARCH'S STRUCTURE.
THERE, IT IS NOW MORE FAT-SOLUBLE.
BY USING AN UNBLEACHED CAKE FLOUR,
YOU CAN AVOID THIS OVER-FRIENDLINESS.
NOW IF YOU CAN'T FIND UNBLEACHED,
GO AHEAD WITH REGULAR CAKE FLOUR,
BUT KNOW THAT IT WILL MAKE A SUBTLE DIFFERENCE,
AND TEMPURA SUCCESS IS ALL ABOUT SUBTLE DIFFERENCES.
♪♪
♪♪
KEEPING THE TEMPURA BATTER COLD
WILL SLOW THE ABSORPTION OF LIQUID INTO THE FLOUR,
AND THAT'S WHY WE'RE GOING TO SET THE BATTER BOWL
DOWN INTO AN ICE BATH.
AS FOR THE BATTER ITSELF,
IF WE, UH, SWITCH OUT THE WATER
THAT'S CALLED FOR IN MOST RECIPES
WITH EITHER SELTZER WATER OR CLUB SODA,
WE'LL INTRODUCE A LOT OF TINY BUBBLES INTO THE BATTER,
WHICH WILL LIGHTEN IT.
CO2 ALSO MAKES THE WATER SLIGHTLY ACIDIC,
AND THAT IS GONNA HELP TO LIMIT GLUTEN FORMATION.
YOU KNOW WHAT ELSE WOULD LIMIT GLUTEN FORMATION?
WE COULD REPLACE SOME OF THE WATER
WITH ANOTHER LIQUID ALTOGETHER,
ONE THAT DOESN'T CONTAIN MUCH WATER OR OIL.
HMM, WHAT WOULD THAT BE?
ALCOHOL IS A LIQUID,
BUT IT'S NOT WATER.
IT DOESN'T TEND TO SOAK INTO FLOUR.
IT DOES NOT CONTRIBUTE TO THE CONSTRUCTION OF GLUTEN.
AND SINCE IT EVAPORATES AT A RELATIVELY LOW, UM,
78 DEGREES CELSIUS,
ANY BATTER CONTAINING IT SHOULD, TECHNICALLY SPEAKING,
DRY FASTER THAN ONE THAT IS WATER-BASED.
1/2 CUP OF 80-PROOF ***--
THAT'S 40% ALCOHOL BY VOLUME--
CAN STAND IN FOR 1/2 CUP OF WATER.
100-PROOF ***-- EVEN BETTER.
SO IN THE END,
WE REPLACE EVERYTHING BUT THE EGG.
WE DO REQUIRE THE SERVICES OF ONE LARGE EGG,
BECAUSE IT WILL PROVIDE FAT FOR FLAVOR, COLOR,
AND PROTEIN FOR BINDING.
JUST ONE WILL DO.
ALL RIGHT, OUR FRY OIL IS AT 365,
QUICKLY CLOSING IN ON 375-- TIME TO BATTER UP.
WE HAVE THE ONE EGG, BEATEN, BOTH FLOURS,
AND THE ***, AND THE WATER.
SO GO AHEAD AND COMBINE ALL OF THE WET TEAM TOGETHER,
AND ALL THE DRY TEAM TOGETHER, THEN HALF THEM.
THAT'S RIGHT. YOU SEE, IN TEMPURA,
THE FRESHER THE BATTER, THE BETTER,
BECAUSE AS THE FEW WHEAT GLUTENS THAT ARE THERE
SIT IN THE WATER, THEY ARE GOING TO TOUGHEN.
SO I'M GONNA ACTUALLY USE UP ONE SMALL BATCH,
AND THEN MAKE ANOTHER BATCH HALFWAY THROUGH.
BELIEVE ME, AT SOME TEMPURA JOINTS,
THEY MAKE A SEPARATE BATCH OF BATTER
FOR EVERY SINGLE ORDER. I HAVE SEEN IT.
SO WE TAKE OUR FIRST BATCH OF BATTER OVER TO THE BOWL.
AND KEEP IN MIND, ICE IS HERE,
BECAUSE COLD BATTER HYDRATES MORE SLOWLY THAN A WARM BATTER.
SO THE DRY TEAM GOES IN, AND THE WET TEAM GOES ON TOP,
AND THEN WE MIX.
OH, NOTICE, I AM USING A WHISK
RATHER THAN THE TRADITIONAL TEMPURA-MIXING CHOPSTICKS,
OR HANABASHI, WHICH LOOK A LOT LIKE DRUMSTICKS,
IF YOU ASK ME.
MIXING--ABOUT TEN STROKES,
AND THEN JUST WALK AWAY. WALK AWAY.
YEAH, I KNOW--LUMPS.
BUT THEY WILL WORK THEMSELVES OUT. DON'T WORRY.
ALL RIGHT, LET'S FRY.
ALWAYS START WITH THE HARDEST VEGETABLE I HAVE.
IN THIS CASE, UH, THAT WOULD BE THE SWEET POTATO,
AND SIX PIECES WILL DO.
MORE THAN THAT, AND WE'LL CROWD THE PAN.
MAKE SURE YOU'VE GOT THOROUGH COATING,
BUT ALSO DRAIN THOROUGHLY.
WE DON'T WANT ANY BIG GLOPS OF BATTER.
THERE WE GO.
AND MAKE SURE YOU PUT THEM IN ONE AT A TIME
SO THEY DON'T TOUCH.
HEAT MANAGEMENT HERE IS KEY, SO CHECK YOUR THERMOMETER OFTEN.
AND JUST RIDE THE HEAT CONTROL TO MAINTAIN THE TEMPERATURE,
AH, BETWEEN 375 AND 400, TOPS.
NOW IN TWO TO THREE MINUTES, UH,
YOU'LL SEE THE COLOR CHANGE ON THE BATTER TO LIGHT BROWN,
AND THE SIZZLING WILL START TO DIMINISH A LITTLE.
THAT'S WHEN YOU KNOW IT'S TIME TO EVACUATE
TO THE DRAINING RIG.
NOW NEXT, WE'LL GO WITH THE SECOND-HARDEST VEGETABLE,
BEING THE BEANS--
AGAIN, ABOUT SIX PIECES AT A TIME,
THOROUGH COATING AND THOROUGH DRAINING.
DON'T SKIP THAT PART. THERE YOU GO.
AND AGAIN, TRY TO KEEP THEM SEPARATED AS THEY GO IN
SO THEY WON'T STICK.
COOK TIME--AGAIN, ONE TO TWO MINUTES.
MANAGE THAT HEAT PROPERLY--375.
WHEN YOU'VE GOT LIGHT BROWN, OUT THAT GOES.
AND, UH, JUST PUT THAT NEXT TO THE SWEET POTATOES
OVER ON THE RACK. THERE, THAT LOOKS GOOD.
LAST, BUT NOT LEAST, WE'LL GO WITH THE PARSLEY.
IT HAS THE SHORTEST COOKING TIME.
DON'T LET GO OF IT.
JUST KIND OF SWIRL IT AROUND IN THE BATTER.
IT'S GONNA LOOK VERY KIND OF CLUB-LIKE, BUT DON'T WORRY.
IF YOU PUT THEM IN ONE PIECE AT A TIME,
KIND OF LAYING THEM OUT, THEY WILL SPREAD OPEN OR BLOOM.
I GENERALLY LET THESE COOK ONLY 30 TO 45 SECONDS,
'CAUSE I STILL WANT TO HAVE THAT BRIGHT GREEN FLAVOR.
THERE, THAT'S PERFECT.
AND EVACUATE.
HARD-CORE TEMPURISTS WILL TELL YOU
THAT YOU SHOULD COOK EACH ITEM AND SERVE IT INDIVIDUALLY.
ME, I KINDA LIKE TO HAVE,
YOU KNOW, A LITTLE MEDLEY ON THE PLATE.
SO I GO WITH ALL THREE OF THE VEGETABLES IN SMALL BATCHES,
AND THEN COME BACK AND DO THE SEAFOOD.
AH, AS THE LUCKY DINERS RECEIVE
THE GOLDEN GOODNESS YOU HATH WROUGHT,
THEY SHOULD QUICKLY DIP EACH PIECE
INTO THE SOY-GINGER SAUCE.
OH, BOTHER.
♪♪
♪♪
OUR SOY-GINGER TEMPURA SAUCE
BEGINS WITH GINGER, ODDLY ENOUGH.
WE'LL NEED 2 TABLESPOONS FRESHLY GRATED.
AND I LIKE TO USE A GINGER GRATER
LINED WITH PLASTIC--
MAKES CLEANUP A HECK OF A LOT EASIER.
THAT LOOKS LIKE 2 TABLESPOONS.
NEXT, WE NEED 2 TABLESPOONS ALSO OF GREEN ONION.
I LIKE TO USE JUST THE FIRST 4 INCHES OR SO, CHOPPED,
TWO CLOVES OF GARLIC MINCED.
ALL THAT GOES INTO A JAR OR OTHER SEALABLE CONTAINER
ALONG WITH 2 TEASPOONS OF SUGAR,
1 TEASPOON OF SESAME OIL,
1/4 CUP OF RICE WINE VINEGAR,
AND FINALLY, 1/2 CUP OF SOY SAUCE.
I LIKE THE LOW-SODIUM KIND.
JUST SEAL THAT UP AND GIVE IT A SHAKE TO COMBINE.
IT'LL KEEP FOR ABOUT A WEEK,
OR, OF COURSE, YOU CAN EAT IT RIGHT AWAY.
MMM! MMM. NOW WITH THE VEGETATION CONSUMED,
YOU SHOULD SLIP OFF AND COOK THE SEAFOOD,
UH, WHILE YOUR GUESTS STAY BEHIND
AND TALK ABOUT WHAT A GENIUS YOU ARE BEHIND YOUR BACK.
SO TIME TO MIX UP OUR SECOND HALF OF THE BATTER--
AGAIN, OVER ICE TO KEEP IT NICE AND COLD,
NO MORE THAN ABOUT TEN WHISKS WITH THE WHISK.
AND THEN THE FISH COMES IN.
WE'RE GONNA START WITH THE TILAPIA--
HMM, FIVE PIECES, TOPS.
AGAIN, AFTER THAT WE'D BE CROWDING THE PAN,
WHICH WE DON'T WANT TO DO.
UH, THE COLDER THE FISH IS, BY THE WAY,
THE BETTER THE BATTER WILL STICK.
SO, UH, YOU MIGHT WANT TO KEEP IT REFRIGERATED
IF A LOT OF TIME IS GOING TO PASS.
INTO THE OIL-- AGAIN, 375 MINIMUM,
OR THINGS WILL GET GREASY. WATCH THAT HEAT MANAGEMENT.
AFTER ABOUT TWO MINUTES,
YOU SHOULD HAVE SOMETHING THAT LOOKS LIKE THIS.
EXCELLENT. NOW THE SHRIMP'S A LITTLE MORE FRAGILE,
SO TAKE YOUR TIME WITH IT.
AGAIN, MAKE SURE YOU'VE GOT THE TAIL FIN STILL IN PLACE,
BECAUSE THAT'S HOW YOU'RE GONNA HOLD IT. SEE?
NICE DRAIN AND THEN HEADFIRST INTO THE OIL.
AGAIN, TWO MINUTES, TOPS,
AND YOU SHOULD HAVE SOMETHING THAT LOOKS A LOT LIKE THIS.
TYPICALLY, THE SHRIMP HAS TO DRAIN JUST A LITTLE LONGER
THAN THE FISH IN ORDER TO NOT BE GREASY. THERE.
WELL, I HOPE WE'VE INSPIRED YOU
TO TACKLE TEMPURA IN YOUR OWN KITCHEN.
JUST REMEMBER THE THREE KEYS...
VEGETABLE OIL HEATED AND HELD AT 375 DEGREES,
AND A...
OH, THERE, SEE?
(roaring)
A ONCE-DREADED, 10-STORY-TALL ENGINE OF DOOM
IS REDUCED TO A PERFECTLY DOCILE CULINARY CRITTER.
NOW GO GET THE MAIL, WASH THE CAR,
AND MAYBE WE'LL PLAY FETCH.
(roaring)
GOOD BOY. (laughs)
SEE YOU NEXT TIME ON "GOOD EATS."
(roaring)