烟笼寒水月笼沙，霓裳羽衣裹大虾

“匠の精神”，中文翻译为“匠人精神”，是日本传统文化中值得称道的一笔，其要旨是把极简的事物做到极致的绝不妥协、精益求精。这周，美食一姐S想介绍的便是日本料理中这独特匠心的代表之作---天妇罗（Tempura）。

Intro

Tempura is, in many ways, an archetypal (典型的) Japanese food. As a popular element of Japanese cuisine, Tempura consists of battering seafood and/or vegetables anddeep fryingthem.It has been perceived as one of the triumphs of Japanese cooking - a fried food that is light and fresh-tasting rather than heavy and greasy. Tempura can be found in most small eateries, vendors and storefronts in Japan. There are shops/restaurants that are strictly dedicated to serving Tempura.These places are called Tempura-ya and a must visit. But generally, you can find the dish at almost any Japanese restaurant all over the world due to its overwhelming popularity. It has been recorded that January 7th is the National Tempura Day.

TopSecretsinTempura:

Ingredients, Timing, Temperature

日本天妇罗之神：早乙女哲哉

Alltheessentialqualitiesofthenation'scuisinearereflectedinitspreparation:theuseoftheabsolutelyfreshingredients,theartfulpresentation,andtheperfectionoftechniquebyaskilledchef.Theessenceoftheingredientitselfdefinesthetasteoftempuratoagreatextent.Seafoodandvegetablesaretherawmaterialsoftempura,andonlythefreshestspecimensareused.It'snotunusualtoseeliveshrimpsjumpingaroundonthepreparationcounter,orbucketsofslitheringeelsbeingcartedthroughthekitchen.Itshouldbenotedthatnomeatcanbeusedfortempuraincludingpoultrylikechicken,duetothefeatherytexturerequiredbythecookingmethod.Asfortheseasonalvegetablescommonlyusedfortempura,therearemuchmorevarietalrangingfromonions,mushrooms,squashtoeggplant,pumpkinandsweetpotato.

早乙女哲哉炸出的“神级”天妇罗

外壳薄如蝉翼，内里Q弹细嫩

Another secret in a good tempura is the quality of the batter, which should be as light and airy as possible. The batter is usually made from eggs, flour, and ice water. To achieve the desired airiness, these ingredients shouldn't be mixed too thoroughly, but should be lumpy and full of air bubbles.Some people, when making this dish, use water from a soda syphon as well to enhance lightness of the batter.

天妇罗之神示范：油炸天妇罗的时间一定要非常短

Because the batter is used for frying seafood and vegetables, the time required in the deep frier is short – often less than two to three minutes. Only within the time-limit can tempura retain its crunchiness. This also means that less oil is absorbed into the food itself.

麻油性质稳定，味道浓香，适合用来炸制天妇罗

Before frying, you can choose to add a cup of toasted sesame oil to the frying oil, which can greatly enrich the flavor. In the meantime, make sure the oil is kept at a constant temperature between 350 - 375 degrees Fahrenheit (equivalent to 175℃~190℃ ).

美味诱人的天妇罗一定要“趁热吃”噢~

Afterfrying,thesefrittersareoftendrainedonpapertoremoveexcessoil.Ascanbeseenfromthecookingstyle,tempuraisamade-to-orderfood,whichshouldbeeatenasquicklyaspossible.AccordingtotheJapanesediningculture,youcanalsoshowyourappreciationbyeatingitassoonasyoucan(althoughyoumaywanttowaitaminuteortwotoavoidburningyourmouth:p).

作为日漫里经常出现的美食，天妇罗其实并非日和民族原创呢

History

It may come as a surprise to learn that tempura was not originally a Japanese dish. Although being a mainstay of many Japanese restaurants, its roots aren't as ancient as those of sushi or teriyaki. Back to the early days in Japan when animal fats were rare and vegetable oils were used primarily for fuel, the frying technique did take a while to catch on. Many theorize that it was not until the 16th century that the idea of battering and frying foods was introduced to Japan. During the 1600s, many Spanish or Portuguese traders and missionaries visited Japan, who brought with them not only goods but new cooking styles as well. The idea that the word “tempura” may have been derived from the Portuguese noun tempero, meaning a condiment or seasoning of any kind, or from the verb temperar, meaning “to season”. After that, a throng of deep-fried fish vendors selling what was called “yatai” popped up in the streets where Tokyo now stands. Overtime, these deep-fried foods were adapted to Japanese tastes and gradually became the tempura today. By the late 19th century tempura had already become a popular fast food in Tokyo, sold from sidewalk stalls and roaming pushcarts （流动推车）. Nowadays, the modern tempura is no longer a foreign food at all, but a completely Japanese cuisine.

天妇罗是相对健康的油炸食品

Health Facts

Compared with the more “traditional” battered foods, you’ll be delighted to find that tempura is made using a special, milk-free batter which is much lighter than those we are familiarised with. Moreover, it is usually served in small portions along with refreshing dipping sauces, pickled vegetables or fresh salad.

Therefore, if you keep your portions reasonable, a serving of tempura can in fact be a part of a healthy diet. Also, you can pair this supposedly higher-fat appetizer with sashimi or sushi to keep calories under control. Roughly estimated, a medium shrimp that has been battered with tempura batter and fried contains only 60 calories and 4 g of fats. A typical portion of correctly cooked tempura contains around 430 calories and slightly less than 20 g of fats.

最后，美食一姐忍不住想问，大家有没有觉得天妇罗其实和Wuli传统的春节食物“藕夹”有异曲同工之妙呢？