Chicken and Shrimp Tempura

Shrimp Tempura

Chicken Tempura

I based the final recipe on this one and the reviews. When I tried it the first time, hubby and loved it. Needless to say, my sons and I did too. So now it has become a regular menu item in our household.



Ingredients:
For the Tempura Batter 
1 egg, separated
1 cup ice water
1 cup flour
dash of baking powder
(This mixture is good for 1 lb each of shrimp and chicken cutlets; chicken pieces should be about 1/2 inch thick or less so they cook fast, and sprinkled with some salt/pepper prior to frying. Shrimps are better butterflied to make them flatter and cook faster too.)

Oil for deep frying (peanut oil is best if using non-animal oil; I have recently used chicken oil for the chicken and pork lard for the shrimp, both I rendered and canned from homegrown chickens/pigs.)

Instructions:
Separate egg. Whisk egg white until stiff. Set aside.
Measure 1 cup water from the ice water, beat in egg yolk.
Fold in flour.
Add dash of baking powder and fold in.
Fold in the beaten egg whites.
Refrigerate for at least one hour.
Heat oil on medium high. (If heat is too low, the batter does not puff up and crisp up; it just looks like a mere coating.)
Dip pieces in the batter.
Deep fry few pieces at a time until golden brown. (It takes me about a minute each side for chicken, few seconds for shrimps.)
Drain on cooling rack, preferably inside an oven warmed up to 225ºF.
Serve with whatever dip you want, along with mashed potatoes or rice, and salad greens.