Tempura

Tempura is a Japanese dish of seafood and vegetables coated in a light batter and deep-fried, producing a pale, thin and fluffy exterior that stays crunchy. The technique arrived in Japan in the 16th century when Portuguese Jesuit missionaries introduced Western frying methods through Nagasaki as part of the Nanban trade, and the dish's name is thought to derive from the Latin tempora, referring to periods of fasting observed in Catholic practice, during which fried fish and vegetables were eaten instead of meat. The batter is made from iced water, egg and soft wheat flour, and thin slices of seafood or vegetable are briefly fried in hot oil so the coating stays light rather than heavy. Tempura is generally served immediately after frying with a dipping sauce, grated daikon radish, or simply salt, in order to preserve its texture, and it represents one of the clearest examples of a foreign cooking technique becoming a defining part of Japanese cuisine.