Best 3 Japanese Tempura Salad With Ginkgo Nuts Recipes

Indulge in the culinary delights of Japan with our tantalizing Japanese Tempura Salad with Ginkgo Nuts recipe. This delectable dish features a medley of colorful vegetables, crispy tempura, and savory ginkgo nuts, all tossed in a light, refreshing dressing. The perfect balance of flavors and textures will leave you craving for more.

Alongside this main recipe, we also offer a collection of additional culinary creations to satisfy diverse palates. Treat yourself to the classic Japanese Potato Salad, a creamy and tangy side dish that complements any meal. For a refreshing and healthy option, try the Cucumber Sunomono Salad, a vibrant combination of thinly sliced cucumbers, vinegar, and sesame seeds.

If you're looking for a hearty and flavorful main course, the Chicken Teriyaki Donburi is sure to hit the spot. Succulent chicken pieces smothered in a sweet and savory teriyaki sauce, served over fluffy rice, make this dish a winner. And for a delightful dessert, try the Matcha Crème Brûlée, a creamy custard infused with the distinct flavor of matcha green tea, topped with a caramelized sugar crust.

With this comprehensive guide, you'll have a variety of Japanese recipes at your fingertips, each offering a unique and authentic taste of Japan.

Here are our top 3 tried and tested recipes!

TEMPURA

Tempura image

Tempura is a popular Japanese deep-fried dish of seafood and vegetables encased in a light yet crispy batter. Learn how to make perfect tempura at home!

Provided by Namiko Chen

Categories Main Course

Time 1h15m

Number Of Ingredients 17

Ingredients

1 large egg (50 g w/o shell) ((keep it cold))
200 ml iced water ((keep it cold))
1 cup all-purpose flour (plain flour) ((keep it cold))
¾ cup dashi (Japanese soup stock; click to learn more) ((or ¾ cup water + 1 tsp dashi powder))
3 Tbsp soy sauce
2 Tbsp mirin
2 tsp sugar
4 shrimp ((peeled with the tails left on, and deveined; leave on the shell section nearest the tail))
1 Japanese or Chinese eggplant
2 king oyster mushrooms (eringi)
2 shiso leaves (perilla/ooba)
4 slices lotus root (renkon)
4 slices Japanese sweet potato (satsumaimo)
4 slices kabocha
2 Tbsp all-purpose flour (plain flour) ((for dusting))
neutral-flavored oil (vegetable, rice bran, canola, etc.)
2 inches daikon radish ((grated and lightly squeezed to drain))

Steps:

Combine the dashi, soy sauce, mirin, and sugar in a small saucepan and bring it to a boil. Then, lower the heat and let it simmer until the sugar is completely dissolved. Remove from the heat and set aside.
Follow these instructions to straighten the shrimp, so it looks gorgeous. Pat the shrimp dry and make sure the moisture is completely removed from the shrimp.
Cut all the vegetables (except the eggplant) ¼-inch thick. For the eggplant, cut off and discard the stem and calyx, then cut it in half lengthwise. With the cut side flat on the cutting board, cut the eggplant lengthwise into very thin slices (about ⅛ inch or 3 mm), being careful to leave the bottom tip intact by 1 inch (2.5 cm) so the slices stay connected. Then, gently press down on the slices to fan them out. Repeat with the other eggplant half.
In a medium-sized pot, heat 1½ inches to 2 inches (3-5 cm) of the oil to 350°F (180°C).
While the oil is heating up, start preparing the tempura batter. Add the egg and the iced water into a 2-cup measuring cup (or any bowl). Whisk the egg mixture vigorously and discard the foam on the surface.
Sift the flour into a large bowl. Slowly pour the egg mixture into the flour. Mix the batter, but do not overmix; it's okay to leave some lumps in the batter. Keep the batter cold at all times (store it in the refrigerator if needed). Make the batter right before deep-frying to avoid activating the wheat gluten.
Check the oil temperature with a thermometer to make sure the oil is 350°F (180°C). You can also use wooden chopsticks to check; when you dip your chopsticks in the oil and see small bubbles forming, it's ready for deep-frying. Please note that sweet potatoes and kabocha require a lower cooking temperature (320ºF/160℃). If you want to read more deep-frying tips, please read this post.
Deep-fry starting with the cleaner and less astringent ingredients. For example, the cooking order would be shiso first, followed by the mushrooms, eggplant, shrimp, sweet potatoes, and kabocha. Make sure your ingredients are dry before dipping them in the batter; if they're wet, dry them with a paper towel first. While the tempura is frying, the moisture from the ingredients will evaporate and the tempura will become crispy. However, if the ingredients have extra moisture, the tempura will become soggy after deep-frying.
When the oil reaches the right temperature, dip one piece of vegetable or shrimp in the batter, let the excess drip off for a second or two, and very gently place it into the hot oil. Continue dipping and adding one piece at a time. For the shrimp, sprinkle some flour or potato starch (or cornstarch) over it before dipping to help the tempura batter adhere. For the shiso leaves, sprinkle a bit of sifted flour on the back of the leaf, dip only the back of the leaf into the batter, and deep-fry for 15 seconds. The flour acts as a glue and the batter tends to stay on the ingredients better.
Deep-fry the ingredients until golden brown. Do not crowd the pot because the oil temperature will drop quickly. Remember, your ingredients should take up no more than about half of the oil surface area at any one time. Here's the rough cooking time for each of the ingredients: Shiso (350ºF/180ºC, 20-30 seconds), mushrooms (350ºF/180ºC, 1 min), eggplant (350ºF/180ºC, 1 min), shrimp (350ºF/180ºC, 2 minutes), sweet potatoes (320ºF/160℃, 3 mins), and kabocha (320ºF/160℃, 2-3 mins). Note that sweet potatoes and kabocha require a lower cooking temperature than the rest of the tempura ingredients.
Transfer the tempura to a wire rack or a plate lined with a paper towel to drain the excess oil.
Between batches, clean the oil by scooping up the crumbs (called tenkasu), which will burn and turn the oil darker if left in the pot.
Grate the daikon and squeeze the liquid out. Prepare 3-4 Tbsp of warm tentsuyu in individual small bowls and serve the grated daikon on the side.
Put 1 Tbsp of the grated daikon in the sauce and dip the tempura in the sauce to enjoy.
You can keep any leftovers in an airtight container and store them in the refrigerator for up to 2 days and in the freezer for 2 weeks. Reheat the tempura at 350ºF (180ºC) in the oven until warm and crisp.

Nutrition Facts : Calories 308 kcal, Carbohydrate 43 g, Protein 12 g, Fat 10 g, SaturatedFat 7 g, TransFat 1 g, Cholesterol 123 mg, Sodium 473 mg, Fiber 7 g, Sugar 8 g, ServingSize 1 serving

VEGETABLE TEMPURA

Vegetable Tempura image

Crisp and delicious vegetable tempura makes an impressive Japanese appetizer. Serve with the dipping sauce or simply with soy sauce if you prefer a vegetarian option.

Provided by ChefJackie

Categories Appetizers and Snacks Beans and Peas

Time 40m

Yield 6

Number Of Ingredients 12

Ingredients

2 tablespoons light soy sauce
2 tablespoons mirin
⅛ teaspoon dashi granules
1 ¾ cups chilled water
2 egg yolks
1 ½ cups all-purpose flour
1 quart vegetable oil for deep frying
1 sweet potato, peeled and sliced into 1/4-inch slices
1 onion, sliced into half-rings
1 bell pepper, sliced
1 cup fresh green beans, trimmed
¾ cup shiitake mushrooms

Steps:

Whisk light soy sauce, mirin, and dashi granules together in a bowl for the sauce; set aside.
Whisk water and egg yolks together in a bowl until well combined. Sift in flour and whisk until just combined; batter will be a bit lumpy.
Heat vegetable oil in a wok or a deep saucepan until very hot, but not smoking.
Dip sweet potato, onion, bell pepper, green beans, and shiitake mushrooms one by one into the batter and transfer immediately into the hot oil. Deep-fry tempura in batches, making sure to not overcrowd the wok, until batter is golden brown, 2 to 3 minutes per side. Remove from oil and transfer to a plate lined with paper towels to drain excess oil. Repeat until all vegetables have been used. Serve hot with dipping sauce.

Nutrition Facts : Calories 349.8 calories, Carbohydrate 42.6 g, Cholesterol 68.3 mg, Fat 16.6 g, Fiber 4.2 g, Protein 6.5 g, SaturatedFat 2.5 g, Sodium 216 mg, Sugar 6.6 g

JAPANESE TAKE-OUT TEMPURA WITH DIPPING SAUCE

Japanese Take-Out Tempura With Dipping Sauce image

Tempura, the classic Japanese dish of lightly battered and fried vegetables and seafood, reflects all the essential qualities of Japanese cooking using the freshest ingredients and paying close attention to the details and techniques employed. The best tempura is light, crispy, and not greasy. Making it is really not that complicated and is best done as a group activity, so rally the troops. Round up a few hands to cut vegetables while you dip and fry. You'll be an expert at making tempura in no time. From the Take-Out Menu Cookbook.

Provided by TxGriffLover

Categories Vegetable

Time 2h

Yield 70 appetizer pieces, 6 serving(s)

Number Of Ingredients 20

Ingredients

1 tablespoon ichiban dashi (see Japanese Take-Out Miso Soup recipe)
2 tablespoons mirin or 1 tablespoon sugar
3 tablespoons sake or 3 tablespoons dry white wine
1/4 cup soy sauce
1 (1 inch) knob fresh ginger, peeled and grated (1 teaspoon)
1 large egg
1/2 teaspoon salt, plus more as needed
1 cup club soda, chilled
3/4 cup unbleached all-purpose flour
1/4 cup cornstarch
1 zucchini, cut on the diagonal into 12 slices, no more that 1/4-inch thick
1 yellow squash, cut on the diagonal into 12 slices, no more than 1/4-inch thick
1 sweet potato, peeled and cut on the diagonal into 12 slices, no more than 1/4-inch thick
1 head broccoli, separated into medium-sized (two-bite)
1/2 small red onion, peeled, cut in half, then sliced into 1/4-inch slices
12 small mushrooms, wiped clean with a damp cloth and cut in half if large
12 medium shrimp, shelled, deveined, and butterflied
6 scallops, cut in half horizonally
lemon wedge, for serving
grated daikon radish, for serving

Steps:

To make the dipping sauce: Bring 1 cup of water to a boil and add the dashi. Boil for 3 minutes. Remove from the heat and add the remaining ingredients. Let cool and serve at room temperature.
In a 2-3 quart pot set over medium-high heat, heat 2 inches of oil to 360º.
To make the batter: Combine the egg and salt in a medium bowl and beat with a fork until mixed. Add the club soda and stir gently to mix. Sift the flour and cornstarch into the egg mixture and, using chopsticks or the handle of a wooden spoon, stir briefly to mix. Do not overmix. There will be lumps. It should be the consistency of heavy cream.
To fry the tempura: Working with one type of food at a time, dip the vegetables, shrimp, or scallops in the batter one at a time, letting the excess batter fall back into the bowl. Carefully slide them into the hot oil. Work fast and fry no more than 6 or 7 pieces at a time to prevent the oil from plunging in temperature.
Turn the pieces when they are slightly golden on the bottom, about 1 minute. Fry on the second side for about 30 seconds to 1 minute and carefully remove with a spider (an Asian-style slotted spoon) or slotted spoon and drain on paper towels.
Here are some approximate frying times:.
Zucchini = 1 1/2 minutes.
Yellow squash = 1 1/2 minutes.
Sweet potato = 2 minutes.
Broccoli florets = 1 1/2 minutes.
Small red onion = 1 1/2 minutes.
Small mushrooms = 1 1/2 minutes.
Shrimp = 1 1/2 to 2 minutes.
Scallops = 1 1/2 to 2 minutes.
Return the oil to 360º and carefully add another 6 or 7 pieces of tempura.
Fry the remaining ingredients in the same manner.
Serve the tempura hot with the dipping sauce, or with salt and freshly squeezed lemon. Grated daikon should be served alongside the fried vegetables. It can be added to the dipping sauce or on top of the vegetables.
Variation: Other vegetables to try are carrots, asparagus, and green beans. Cook them first in boiling water for about 1 minute, then put them in an ice bath to stop the cooking. Line up 4 or 5 carrots, asparagus, or green beans, side by side, and run a wooden skewer through them to connect. Dip them in the batter and fry them, then remove the skewer after frying. Other seafood possibilities include cod, crab and squid.
Make ahead: The dipping sauce can be kept for up to 1 week in the refrigerator.

Nutrition Facts : Calories 201.2, Fat 1.8, SaturatedFat 0.4, Cholesterol 57.4, Sodium 1012.6, Carbohydrate 33.1, Fiber 4.8, Sugar 4.7, Protein 13

Tips:

For the perfect tempura batter, use ice-cold water and cornstarch instead of flour. The cornstarch will help the batter stay crispy.
To make sure the tempura is cooked through, fry it in hot oil (350°F) for 2-3 minutes, or until golden brown.
To make the ginkgo nuts more flavorful, toast them in a dry skillet over medium heat for 5-7 minutes, or until fragrant.
For a lighter salad, use a mix of greens instead of just romaine lettuce.
To add more protein to the salad, add grilled chicken or tofu.

Conclusion:

Japanese Tempura Salad with Ginkgo Nuts is a delicious and refreshing salad that is perfect for a light lunch or dinner. The tempura is crispy and flavorful, the ginkgo nuts add a nutty flavor, and the dressing is light and tangy. This salad is sure to please everyone at your table.