Tempura

Tempura is a popular Japanese dish in which food is lightly battered and deep fried to create a light, crispy coating. When you see "tempura fried" on a menu at your favorite Japanese steakhouse, it simply means that the food has been dipped in this batter and fried.

Although this cooking method is associated with Japanese cuisine, it is unclear whether it originated in Japan or was brought to Japan by Portuguese missionaries in the 16th century and later adopted into Japanese cuisine. However, the spread of mainstream, Tokyo-style (Edo) tempura can be traced back to the Edo period's street vendors who surrounded the fish market.

What began as simple street food has evolved into a serious Japanese cooking technique that takes years to master. Tempura is one of Japan's most popular dishes because it is crispy, tasty, healthy, and inexpensive. To prevent the loss of nutritious vitamins and minerals, your choice of prawns, fish, squid, vegetables, or tofu is lightly battered and deep-fried quickly. Tempura can be served alone, but it's more commonly served with noodles or rice and a variety of dipping sauces.