Foods are an essential part of human life and they are highly involved as a source of human survival and growth. Foods are combination of diverse ingredients which may include green plants, aquatic life and wild life which are processed to make a recipe. Humans are of separate and diverse race and culture and food is a great part of the cultural attribute of each race with respect to the ingredients they found suitable and edible. Japan is a popular country in the Asian continent of the word with a considerable population and much has been said about the Japanese dishes and foods. The Japanese natives have a good list of foods that are very beneficial to the body and ensure that Japanese has one of highest life expectancy among countries of the world. Many of Japanese recipes and foods are indigenous though with a limited inclusion of foreign ideas which were later domesticated.
About Tempura
One of such food with an inclusion of foreign idea and method is a popular Japanese food called Tempura. It is known for centuries as a street food but now known as both street and home delicacy. Tempura is a food well love and admired by lots of Japanese and it is a popular delicacy majorly indigenous to Tokyo which was formally known as Edo. The food is made from several types of sea foods and vegetables which are battered and deep-fried. It is a food enjoyed by Japanese since centuries past but the idea was from the Portuguese missionaries and merchants that stayed and lived in the southern part of japan known as Nagasaki. The method of using battering and deep-frying started with the Portuguese and known by the Japanese natives living in Nagasaki and from there, it became popular in Tokyo due to the abundance of sea foods in Tokyo Bay.
Ingredients of Tempura
Tempura is readily made and served as a desired meal at best restaurant in Tokyo and other places in Japan and it is made from popular ingredients of sea foods of vegetables while it is now enjoyed with a dipping sauce. The major ingredients used in making Tempura are sea foods and vegetables however, the choice of the vegetable or sea food depends on every individual and people choose from a wide range of vegetables and sea foods. Majority of people decide for vegetables like mushrooms, sweet potatoes, pumpkin, kabocha, potato, lotus root, butternut squash, eggplant, okra, bamboo shoot, carrot, broccoli, onion, bell pepper, shiso leaf and some other vegetables. Sea foods which are majorly used include Pawns, Shrimps, scallop, crab, fish (white fish, catfish), cod, Pollock, skate, ray, coley, conger ell, plaice, sweetfish and many others. There are other ingredients that are needed and these includes:
- All Purpose Flour
- Eggs
- Ice Cold Water
- Dashi stock (this is a Japanese cooking stock prepared from fish and seaweeds)
- Soy Sauce
- Daikon Radish
Conclusion
In conclusion, tempura is a nice food to anyone living in any area of Japan as a native or for individuals visiting Japan. You can relish the best of tempura at various restaurants across Japan at affordable prices as you partake in one of many things Japan has to offer both native and visitors.