Sugar Snap Pea Tempura

NEWSFLASH: A balanced diet and regular exercise makes room for many treats, including fried, without adverse effects (Just got my annual physical results back today!). That said I'm pleased to learn that higher frying temps makes for less residual grease. Cook from Manhattan - Would love to know which high heat oils are actually healthy so I can use going forward. I used Peanut today. It's a very nice starting recipe but I felt that the batter needed more character so I added a dash of salt, smoked paprika and garlic powder to the flour before mixing in beer. Also, I used the batter to fry Talapia chunks for fish tacos - didn't have any problems with it adhering. Got rave reviews, even from my wife who never fails to shoot me a stink eye and open all of our doors on the rare occasions that frying happens in our home. Thanks for the tip re rice flour + corn starch... will definitely incorporate the next time.

• isliss

• Los Angeles, CA

• 4/4/2013

Interesting Thread... folks ... Honestly didn't know Tempura = "battered & fried" . but this is the same basic beer batter I use for all kinds of recipes... Onion rings, chicken balls, Fish, mushrooms, etc... Thanks ( olen1009 ) the cornstarch does make a crispier batter... Try spicing the batter w/ 2 tsp of paprika and cumin with a 1/4 tea of cayenne powder... but you should let the batter rest for at least 15 minutes before use... " Give Peas a Chance " that was funny...

• captcook66

• 7/22/2009

What you fry should be irrelevant. Why not experiment? Here are a couple of hints: Tempura batter should never be wisked until smooth. It should be very quickly mixed and lumpy with dry bits in it. Mixing it to much developes the gluten and makes the final product heavier and more chewy. Replacing 1/4 to 1/3 of the flour with corn starch makes a crispier, fluffier product that does not go limp, soggy, rubbery as quickly. The suggestion for using rice flour is a good one. Replacing part of the flour with starch will be even better. The liquid used to make the batter should be extremely cold, as should the flour and starch, bowl, wisk, etc. The veggies must be dry in order for the batter to stick to it. I hope all of this helps.

• olen1009

• Atlantic City, NJ

• 4/21/2009

I made these for a "dim sum" party I had. I didn't even get one because there were none left by the time I got out of the kitchen. They went so fast - every time I brought out a batch, they went. I made them again for just a family dinner and they are heavenly. Delicate... and the dipping sauce is phenomenal. We now use that one for all our dipping sauce needs.

• dsw2000

• boston, ma

• 8/1/2007

Um... "Deep fried peas - only in America." Only in America do we eat traditional Japanese dishes, introduced to Japan hundreds of years ago by Portugese/Dutch traders? Sounds pretty multicultural to me. Anyway, I thought it was a good recipe, and the beer makes the tempura nice and light. I tried using rice flour, and the results came out even crisper!

• Anonymous

• Hollywood, CA

• 9/26/2006

This was delicious .. nice and light.

• Anonymous

• New York

• 1/17/2005

我肯定不是马ke this again. The batter didn't stick to the peas, it was putsy and messy. Not worth the effort, for sure.

• Anonymous

• Indianapolis, IN

• 11/20/2003

I thought this was delicious--similar to flash-fried green beans (without the batter) at one of my areas finest and most authentic chinese restaraunts. To those who are poking fun: you do realize that these peas are cooked in their pods, right?

• Anonymous

• Burlington, Vermont

• 6/22/2003

I thought these were excellent. Light, crispy and fun. I serve something similar to this at the bar in my restaurant, and they are quite popular. As already mentioned, deep-frying CORRECTLY adds very little fat to this dish. In fact, certain oils, in moderation, are actually GOOD for you. To San Francisco: I believe Americans are too fat because of their addiction to processed foods (loaded with trans-fatty acids), obscene portions, way too many carbs (no, I don't buy into the Atkins thing),and not getting off their fat a$$es.

• Anonymous

• Manhattan Chef

• 6/13/2003

x

• Anonymous

• Hong Kong

• 6/10/2003

Fried foods are not evil. About the only way they are greasy is when the grease is not hot enough or the food is not drained properly. Fried sugar snap peas are a great buffet item and the "health nuts" should try something different. This might improve their outlook on life.

• Anonymous

• 6/9/2003

I tried a very similar recipe this past weekend---wonderful! It is a great way to coerce picky eaters to try more veggies.

• kaiontopen

• Austin, TX

• 6/9/2003

Yeah, all we are saying is give peas a chance!

• johnnieboy

• 6/9/2003

Reader from New Jersey obviously hasn't had flash fried spinach leaves.

• Anonymous

• Santa Ana, California

• 6/9/2003

These last 2 reviewers should be a little more open minded. I have been to many Japanese restaurants that deep fry onions, broccoli, mushrooms, etc. Why not give peas a try?

• Anonymous

• Lake Zurich, IL

• 6/9/2003