Tempura 天ぷら

James Clavell’s book, and later the movie, Shōgun (Generalissimo), was based on stuff that really happened. The character, Lord Toranaga was based on the feller who created the Shogunate and whose real name was Tokugawa Ieyasu. Tempura was introduced to Japan in the 16th century by Portuguese missionaries and the word has to do with the Ember Days (avoiding meat

and eating fish and vegetables). According to the story, Ieyasu liked Tempura so much that he ate himself to death on it. I like it a lot too but fortunately I eat very little of anything at one time.

Catch some things from the ocean.

And gather some things from your Garden.

Possible Ingredients:

1. Shellfish: e.g. Oysters, Shrimp, Mussels, Clams, Crab, Lobster, Scallop, Soft-Shell Crab, Imation Crab, etc.

2. Any mild flavored fish such as Cod, Flounder, Grouper, Haddock, Hake, Halibut, Monkfish, Orange, Roughy, Pollock, Pomona, Red Snapper,

Rockfish, Sole, Sturgeon, Tilapia, Tilefish, Trout, Turbot, Yellowtail

3. Other possible seafood might be Squid, Cuttlefish, Snails

4. Some vegetables might include: Bell Pepper, Carrot, Burdock, Green Beans, Yam, Potato, Renkon (Lotus Root), Bamboo Shoots, Okra, Asparagus, Parsley, Spinach, Mushrooms, Cauliflower, Onions Rings, Sweet Potatoes, Broccoli, Japanese Pumpkin (Kabocha Squash), Japanese eggplant, Diakon Radish

Necessary Ingredients: 1. Tempura Batter……….of course, you

can go to the trouble to make it if you want but we don’t. Just buy it at the Asian store

2. Oil for frying…………Masako just uses Canola Oil but often a combination of Canola or Corn Oil with Sesame Oil at a

ratio of about half and half (or more Sesame if you want more Sesame flavor) is used in Japanese restaurants.

3. Dipping Sauce……..you can make it but why bother? Just buy it at the Asian store

4. Diakon Radish 5. Water………..cold but not iced 6. Optional………Fruit or maybe Green

Tea Ice-cream for Desert 7. Saki for Drinking 8. Japanese Beer for drinking some more

9. Some kind of household, small deep fryer. The one we have is old: Vintage 70's Multi Purpose Party Cooker Tempura Fondue

Cut off any bad parts and peel the Lotus Root.

Slice it.

Clean, peel, slice and whatever is needed to prepare the vegetables.

Cut the Carrots into little slivers.

Pick a few Asparagus Spears from your Garden…………..no Garden? Well then just forget the whole thing and watch Huckleberry Hound on TV.

While preparing things, you might notice some curious onlookers but don’t worry, they won’t eat much.

Save the seeds from the Kabocha to plant in my Garden in New Mexico. Let me know when you’re coming so we’ll be sure to be there.

And slice it into frying sized pieces……..you don’t need to peel it.

Slice off and peel a chunk of Diakon.

Then grate it and grate it and grate it and grate it………………

And grate it until you have a little pureed bowel of it like this and cover it with plastic wrap. This little mess is to be used for dipping and it’s supposed to help with digestion and I guess Ieyasu didn’t have enough of it.

When you have a nice pile of prepared Vegetables…………………….

It will be time to make a nice pile of Sea Critters.

Here Masako has some Tilapia Fillets which she cuts into bite sized pieces.

Then she peels all but the tails of the shrimp.

And I make a cut down the leg side so that they will “butterfly” when the cook.

When you have various piles of nice things all prepared, heat the oil and prepare the batter according to instructions on the box. The oil needs to be about °340 and you can check it by dropping in a little Batter and when it goes about halfway down and pops back up, it’s ready.

The Batter needs to be made ith cold (icy without ice) water.

Dip all the stuff in the Batter, shake off the excess

And, individually, drop it in the oil.

As stuff browns, put it on something to drain………..a paper towel if you don’t have a little rack of some kind.

At this point, it’s Fools Rush In…………..and get all the good seats. Snatch and grab, slip and slid, wiggle and shake

and whoever gets the most has to sing a song. Be sure and remember to array the table with the grated Diakon and all the little dipping sauces and such.

You might want to have a little Japanese Salad to go with it.

Masako gets these little salad mixes at the Japanese store that has seaweed and all that oriental stuff in them. She makes a little Oil, Vinegar, Soy Sauce dressing………..

And adds stuff like this. They have plenty of varieties at the Japanese store.

For desert, she might serve fruit.

And maybe something that isn’t even Japanese.

And don’t for get the Saki!

Itadakimasu!

いただきます?

And

Kanpai!乾杯