Japanese · appetizer

Tempura (天ぷら)

Name: Tempura (天ぷら)
Prep time: 30 min
Total time: 35 min
Cuisine: Japanese
Ingredients: 8 large shrimp, peeled and deveined; 1 medium sweet potato, sliced; 1 small eggplant, sliced; 1 cup green beans; 4 shiitake mushrooms; 1 cup ice-cold water; 1 egg yolk; 1 cup cake flour; 3 cups vegetable oil for frying; 1 cup dashi; 3 tbsp soy sauce; 2 tbsp mirin; 1/2 cup daikon radish, grated; 1 tsp ginger, grated

Tempura (天ぷら) reads umami 7.0, richness 5.9 and salinity 4.5 on Palate's 0–10 flavor X-ray — a Japanese appetizer, about 35 min. Measured from the recipe itself: ingredients and technique.

The flavor X-ray — six axes, 0–10

Umami & Savory — 8.0 / 10
Sweet & Fruity — 4.1 / 10
Sour & Bright — 1.2 / 10
Bitter & Earthy — 3.4 / 10
Rich & Fat — 6.2 / 10
Aromatic & Spice — 2.6 / 10

The measured notes (of 18)

Umami 7.0 · Richness 5.9 · Salinity 4.5 · Sweetness 3.8 · Marine & Briny 3.5 · Earthy 3.2 · Funk & Ferment 2.6 · Allium 2.3 · Warm Spice 1.6 · Herbaceous 1.5 · Bitterness 1.1 · Sourness 1.1 · Nutty 1.0 · Floral 1.0 · Fruity 1.0

What's in it (14)

8 large shrimp, peeled and deveined
1 medium sweet potato, sliced
1 small eggplant, sliced
1 cup green beans
4 shiitake mushrooms
1 cup ice-cold water
1 egg yolk
1 cup cake flour
3 cups vegetable oil for frying
1 cup dashi
3 tbsp soy sauce
2 tbsp mirin
1/2 cup daikon radish, grated
1 tsp ginger, grated

Time & effort: about 35 min (30 min active) · effort: medium

Nutrition (per 100 g, engine-estimated): 113.8 kcal, 7.8 g protein, 5.1 g fat, 9.3 g carbs

Dietary: Contains meat · Contains seafood — engine-derived; double-check anything allergy-critical.

How it's cooked (3 steps)

Mix egg yolk with ice water, sift in flour and stir minimally, leaving lumps for a light batter.
Dip ingredients and fry in oil at 170 to 180 degrees C until just lightly golden.
Drain and serve immediately with tentsuyu dipping broth and grated daikon.

Dishes with a similar flavor shape

Vietnamese Shrimp And Crab Crispy Spring Rolls (Cha Gio) — Vietnamese
Shrimp Fried Rice — Chinese-American
Gulf Coast Cajun Shrimp Fettuccine — Cajun/Creole · Cajun
Okonomiyaki (お好み焼き) — Japanese
Glossy Shrimp and Vegetable Udon Stir-Fry — Japanese

Keep reading: what umami, richness, salinity mean in the flavor lexicon · the world's cuisines, by flavor.

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Every number above is Palate's engine-measured estimate, computed from this recipe's ingredients and techniques — not human-tasted ratings or reviews.