Squid and Vegetable Tempura

Tempura is a typical dish 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 cleaned squid cut into rings
• 1 zucchini
• 1 red bell pepper
• 100g green beans
• 100g 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 desired. The zucchini and bell pepper can be cut into sticks or rounds, while the green beans can be left whole after trimming the ends.

2. Prepare the tempura batter by mixing the rice flour with cold sparkling water until you obtain a fluid but not too liquid 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 fryer until it reaches a temperature of about 180 °C.

4. Dip 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 golden and crispy, remove them from the oil and let them drain on paper towels.

Serve the squid and vegetable tempura hot, accompanied by soy sauce slightly diluted with a bit of rice vinegar and, if desired, a touch of wasabi to stay true to Japanese tradition. To stay on theme with Italian, you could opt for a dip in lemon or a light citrus mayonnaise.

Trivia

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