Is tempura fried or baked?

Quick Answer: Tempura is fried

Tempura is a Japanese dish consisting of seafood, vegetables, or other ingredients that are coated in a light batter and then deep fried. So the quick answer is that tempura is always fried, never baked. The light, crispy batter coating and fast frying method are hallmarks of tempura that differentiate it from other fried foods.

What is Tempura?

Tempura is a popular Japanese food where ingredients like seafood, vegetables, mushrooms, or even slices of fruit are coated in a very light, crispy batter and then quickly deep fried in hot oil. Some key characteristics of tempura include:

The batter is made from simple ingredients like ice cold water, egg, and wheat flour. Baking powder is also often added to help the batter puff up and get very light and crispy.
The batter is very thin and light. Thick or heavy batters would make the tempura soggy.
The oil used for frying is usually a neutral-flavored oil with a high smoke point, such as canola, vegetable, peanut, or sesame oil. This allows the oil to get very hot without burning.

The ingredients are fried for a short amount of time, usually just 1-2 minutes. This prevents them from getting greasy or soggy.
Traditional tempura is often served with tentsuyu dipping sauce, made from dashi, mirin, and soy sauce.

Some popular ingredients used in tempura include:

Seafood – thin slices of fish, shrimp, scallops, squid
Vegetables – sweet potatoes, green beans, asparagus, onions, broccoli
Mushrooms

Fruits – apple slices, orange segments, pineapple chunks

History of Tempura

Tempura was introduced to Japan in the 16th century by Portuguese Christian missionaries. The Portuguese term “tempero” referred to the Lenten practice of eating deep fried fish and vegetables rather than meat. When this cooking method was brought to Japan, it was adopted and refined into what is now considered one of Japan’s most famous dishes globally.

Some key events in the history and evolution of tempura include:

1543 – The first tempura was introduced to Japan by Portuguese missionaries and merchants.
1600s – Tempura became popular as a fast, inexpensive food sold at food stalls in towns across Japan.
1860s – Tempura restaurants started becoming more upscale in the newly capitalized Tokyo (then called Edo).

1870s – Tokyo opened its first high-end tempura restaurant, Bunjiya, which made tempura sophisticated cuisine.
1980s – Tempura became very popular in the U.S. as Japanese food and sushi restaurants proliferated.

Today, tempura is considered one of the most popular Japanese foods globally. It is served at different types of restaurants in Japan, from inexpensive fast food spots to high-end Michelin starred dining rooms. The key cooking technique of fast frying in a light batter remains unchanged from centuries ago.

How Tempura is Prepared

Authentic tempura takes some specific steps to prepare properly:

Making the Batter

The batter is vital for getting the characteristic light crispness of tempura. Some key steps when making the batter include:

Sifting the flour helps prevent lumps and creates a smooth, even coating when frying.

Keep the batter chilled before frying by using ice water. This helps prevent the gluten in the flour from getting overdeveloped, which would make the batter tough.
Don’t overmix the batter, which can cause the gluten to develop too much. The batter should still have some small lumps.
Let the batter rest for 15-30 minutes before using. This allows the flour to fully hydrate and the baking powder to activate.

Frying the Tempura

Once the batter is made, deep frying is what gives tempura its delicate crunch. Some tips for proper frying include:

Use a stable, neutral flavored oil like canola or vegetable oil. The oil should be 350-375°F when frying.
Fry the tempura in small batches so the temperature of the oil does not drop too much.

Quickly dip ingredients into the batter gently so you have a thin, even coating.
Fry each batch for just 1-2 minutes until light golden brown. Overfrying will make it greasy.
Drain the fried tempura on a wire rack or paper towels.

Always serve tempura immediately after frying while still hot and super crunchy.

Key Ingredients for Tempura

While practically anything can be fried into tempura, some key ingredients that are traditionally used include:

Seafood

Popular seafood tempura items include shrimp, squid, scallops, oysters, fish fillets, or fish roe. Seafood is usually cut into bite-sized pieces before coating and frying.

Vegetables

Typical veggies used in tempura include sweet potato, eggplant, zucchini, okra, asparagus, shiitake mushrooms, bell peppers, carrots, onions, broccoli, and green beans. Vegetables are often fried whole or in large slices.

Fruits

While less common, sliced fruits can make for a nice sweet addition to a tempura lineup. Tempura versions of apples, peaches, pineapples, oranges, bananas, or strawberries can be found.

Herbs & Leaves

Tempura batter helps make certain delicate greens and herbs like shiso leaves extra crispy. Other leafy greens used include spinach, parsley, or basil.

Noodles & Grains

Batter can also coat noodles, like soba noodles, udon noodles, or slices of mochi rice cake to add some filling carbs to a tempura meal.

Other Fun Items

For an extra indulgent tempura experience, even sweets like cakes, cookies, ice cream, or cheesecake can be given the tempura treatment as well. The light coating of batter provides a nice contrasting texture.

Tempura vs Fried Foods from Other Cuisines

While tempura may seem like just another fried food, it is uniquely different from other fried dishes found in Western or other cuisines. Some key differences include:

Tempura	Other Fried Foods
Extremely thin, light batter Fried for a very short time, usually 1-2 minutes Served immediately after frying Lower calorie due to less oil absorption	Heavier batter or breading Fried for longer time, often 5+ minutes Can be served long after frying More oil absorbed makes it higher in calories

Here are some examples of how tempura differs from other cuisines’ fried dishes:

Tempura – Thin batter, fried quickly for 1-2 minutes
Fried Chicken – Soaked in buttermilk then dredged in a flour and spice coating, fried for 15+ minutes

Fish & Chips – Thick beer batter, fried for 5+ minutes until golden brown
Fried Shrimp – Breaded with cornmeal and flour, then fried for a few minutes
Fried Oreos – Rolled in a batter with powdered sugar, fried for 5+ minutes

So while the frying cooking method is the same, the execution, timing, and batter make tempura a much lighter and faster version of fried foods from other world cuisines.

Is Tempura Healthy?

Compared to some other fried dishes, tempura can be a healthier option due to some key factors:

The thin batter coating means less oil is absorbed overall.

Frying for a short time prevents the ingredients from becoming saturated in oil.
Fresh veggies and seafood are the main ingredients rather than heavy starches or meats.

However, since tempura is still a deep fried food, it is higher in calories and fat compared to other preparations like steaming, grilling, roasting, etc. Some tips to make tempura as healthy as possible include:

Use minimal batter coating on ingredients.
Fry at the correct high temperature to minimize oil absorption.
Blot off excess oil after frying with paper towels.

Use healthy monounsaturated fats like olive, avocado or peanut oil.
Go easy on any fatty or sugary dipping sauces.

Overall, tempura does make for a lighter, “healthier” form of fried food. But fried dishes in general should still be enjoyed in moderation as part of a balanced diet.

Types of Tempura

There are several classic tempura varieties, including:

Shrimp Tempura

Plump shrimp lightly fried in tempura batter are by far one of the most popular items on any tempura menu. Jumbo shrimp are usually used when available. Removing the shell before battering allows the batter to directly crisp against the shrimp for maximum crunch.

Vegetable Tempura

A mix of fresh vegetables like sweet potato, zucchini, onions, broccoli, carrots, green beans, etc. dipped in tempura batter makes for a lighter option. Vegetables hold up well to the fast frying without becoming overly greasy.

Kakiage

This variety mixes julienned vegetables together before coating in batter to fry into little tempura pancakes or fritters. Common kakiage combinations include seafood mixes or diverse veggie combinations.

Soft-Shell Crab Tempura

While soft-shell crabs are only in season certain times of year, they make for a decadent tempura choice when battered and fried whole. The thin shells get ultra-crispy.

Squid Tempura

Squid and other seafood like scallops and oysters need just a short fry time to cook through without overdoing it. Battering helps enhance the flavors with the contrasting crunchy exterior.

Fruit Tempura

For those looking for something on the sweeter side, slices of fruit like apple, banana, strawberry, and even oranges make refreshingly tasty tempura. Batter frying fruit amplifies their inherent flavors.

Creative/Modern Tempura

More modern takes on tempura play around with more eclectic ingredients. Tempura versions of bacon, cheese, ice cream, croissants, chocolate, and other fun foods can be found at different eateries.

How to Eat Tempura

Tempura is almost always served with tentsuyu, a dipping sauce that typically contains dashi, mirin, and soy sauce. The sauce enhances and pairs nicely with the lightly fried flavor of the tempura.

Some proper etiquette when eating tempura includes:

Dip only a small corner of the tempura piece into the sauce so it doesn’t soak in and make the batter soggy.
Eat tempura pieces whole whenever possible for the ideal crispy texture.

Use chopsticks when dipping to avoid getting fingers messy with sauce.
Pour out fresh sauce into small dipping bowls for each person rather than double-dipping from a shared bowl.
Enjoy tempura immediately after frying for peak crispness.

When served in a full tempura meal, it will typically come with dipping sauce, fresh grated daikon radish, steamed rice, miso soup, and green tea. Fried and salty tempura perfectly complements the lighter rice, soup, and tea components for a balanced Japanese dining experience.

Where to Eat the Best Tempura

Here are some of the top restaurants and best places to enjoy authentic, freshly fried tempura:

Japan

As the birthplace of tempura, Japan offers fantastic tempura restaurants to experience the wide range of seafood, vegetables, and cooking methods. Top tempura dining spots include:

Tempura Kondo – Tokyo – Michelin-starred with impeccable Edo-style tempura
Tsunahachi – Tokyo – Historic tempura chain since 1923
Tempura Matsu – Kyoto – Specializing in shrimp, fish, and seasonal veggies

Totoya – Hokkaido – Known for local seafood like hairy crab tempura

United States

Quality tempura can be found at Japanese restaurants in major metropolitan cities as well as Vegas and Hawaii. Top tempura serving restaurants include:

Mifune New York – NYC – Refined tempura with global influences

Yuzu – Las Vegas – Decadent menu with lobster and foie gras tempura
Nobu – Nationwide – The famous chef Nobu Matsuhisa’s restaurants serve innovative tempura
Doraku Sushi – Chicago – This sushi chain excels at Japanese tempura favorites

Other International Cities

As Japanese cuisine proliferates globally, diners worldwide can now enjoy authentic tempura experiences. Some highly rated spots include:

Kohaku – London – Artful Kyoto-style tempura
Tempura Endo – Singapore – Traditional Edo-style tempura

Tenjaku – Sydney – High end tempura with Australian seafood
Tokyo Tempura in Lima, Peru – Innovative seafood and Nikkei tempura

Whether in Japan or abroad, there are now excellent tempura restaurants to get your deep fried fix handled by skilled chefs. Trying tempura at the source in Japan remains a very special dining treat.

Conclusion

Tempura remains one of Japan’s most beloved and iconic foods. Its delicate preparation and frying process create a light, crunchy exterior coating around seafood, veggies, and other ingredients not replicated in too many other cuisines around the world. While fried, its quick cooking method makes it lighter and less oily than many other fried dishes. When done right, tempura provides an irresistible savory crunch and burst of flavor. Its versatility with ingredients gives ample room for creativity and exploration. Tempura has earned its place as one of Japan’s tastiest fried food export worldwide.