Tempura Chicken and Vegetables #glutenfree #tempura #japanese

Who does not like Japanese Tempura?? This is light and crispy deep fried meal, that melts in your mouth. I have previously worked as a Japanese chef for several years. So. I assure you that this tempura is not any different to the real thing, although we have changed to gluten free ingredients -  the tips are always use ice water and some technology skills when deep frying.
Due to my partner not eating seafood, I have used chicken and vegetables for this meal. The sauce may be made thicker and sweeter to your taste. I will show you the pure tempura prawns and sauce another time...

Ingredients:

A: 

1 Chicken Breast, cut into long, thin slices
1/2 egg, lightly beaten 
1 tablespoon Sake (rice wine)
3 tablespoons gluten-free Corn Flour
1 teaspoon Minced Ginger 
Salt and Pepper
Vegetables you prefer, such as :- sweet potato, pumpkin, potato, carrot, zuchinni, bean, asparagus, brocolli, capsicum, okura, onion....The vegetables that are harder need longer cooking times, so cut them into thinner slices.

B:

1 cup gluten-free Plain Flour
3/4 cup Ice Water

C: 

2/3 cup homemade Teriyaki Sauce (Please check our recipe )*
1/3 cup Water
2-3 tablespoons Sugar
1 teaspoon Hon Dashi (Japanese fish/dashi stock)
Steamed Rice
Pickle ginger, if necessary**
About 1/2 cup extra gluten-free Plain Flour

Method:

Heat hot oil in a large deep pot/wok. If using a  deep fryer, heat to 190C.
Marinate all ingredients A for about half hour.
Mix ingredients B to become smooth tempura batter, I suggest you add some ice in the batter to keep it cooler.
Pour ingredients C in a pot and boil until reduce and thicken sauce to 50%.
Place the extra flour on a plate.
Remove vegetables and chicken from the marinade.
Lightly cover the vegetables and chicken with flour.
Cover in the tempura batter and deep fry in the hot oil. Remember you must shake the chicken and vegetables about 5 seconds in the hot oil before you separate them from your hand - it will let the batter become crispy after cooking.
Due to most home kitchens not having a large deep fryer as in restaurants, break into several batches to deep fry them. Make sure the oil is hot enough each time, when putting batches in the oil. Keep the ready cooked vegetables and chicken warm in the oven on medium heat.
Deep fry all the vegetables same as chicken. Some vegetables may need longer cooking times. Use your eye and finger to check the tempura, the best result is both side are crispy. Let them stand on a tray which has paper towel in the bottom.

To serve: 
 
Place steamed rice to half way up the bowl. 
Plate up with tempura chicken and vegetables. 
Poor over some of the sauce. 
Have some pickle ginger at the side if necessary.
* If you not have home make teriyaki sauce, you can use :-
1/2 cup Water
1/2 cup Japanese Soy Sauce
1/4 cup Mirin
1/2 cup Sugar
1/4 cup Sake
1.5 teaspoon Hon Dashi (Japanese dry fish stock)
Boil all ingredients until reduce thicken to about 40%

** You can buy many kind of pickle eggplant, ginger, cucumber...in local Asian/ Japanese groceries shops.

Tips: 

Home stoves are not as hot as restaurants. You will need to  deep fry for a  longer time.
Use new oil to deep fried tempura so the colour will be better and lighter.
You can use some gluten-free dry rice noodle or spaghetti or angel hair to deep fry with some tempura batter. Sprinkle, then toss, with some salt and decorate on the bowl. 

Contact: lee.leehocklai@gmail.com