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Squid and Vegetable Tempura

17/11/2023

Tempura is a dish typical of Japanese cuisine, but I can add an Italian touch to the recipe. Here’s how to prepare a delicious Italian-style squid and vegetable tempura.

Ingredients

  • 200g of cleaned squid cut into rings
  • 1 zucchini
  • 1 red bell pepper
  • 100g of green beans
  • 100g of rice flour (for a lighter touch compared to wheat flour)
  • Cold sparkling water
  • 1 pinch of salt
  • Extra virgin olive oil or seed oil for frying
  • For an Italian touch: grated zest of 1 untreated lemon

Preparation

  1. Start by washing and cutting the vegetables as you like. The zucchini and bell pepper can be cut into sticks or rounds, while the green beans can be left whole after cutting the ends.

  2. Prepare the tempura batter by mixing rice flour with cold sparkling water until you get a fluid but not too thin consistency. Add a pinch of salt and the grated lemon zest for an Italian citrus touch.

  3. Heat plenty of oil in a pan or a deep-fryer until it reaches a temperature of about 180°C.

  4. Dip the squid and vegetables in the batter, making sure to coat them evenly.

  5. Fry a few pieces at a time so as not to lower the oil temperature and to prevent them from sticking together.

  6. When they are golden and crispy, remove them from the oil and let them drain on paper towels.

Serve the squid and vegetable tempura hot, accompanied by a lightly diluted soy sauce with a little rice vinegar and, if you like, a touch of wasabi to stay true to the Japanese tradition. To keep it Italian, you might opt for a lemon dip or a light citrus mayonnaise.

Curiosity

Tempura was introduced to Japan by Portuguese missionaries in the 16th century. In Italy, we have embraced this cooking method by enhancing our fantastic seafood and vegetables, creating variants that are sometimes even lighter than the traditional Japanese recipe.