Welcome to our series sharing Food Holidays: January 7th, 2022 which is National Tempura Day. I don’t know about you but Charlie and I will sit this Holiday out because neither of us care for Fish or Seafood and that is what Tempura. Before you ask David does like Seafood so he may want to join him in having Tempura for lunch. Would you like to join David for dinner?
National Tempura Day
National Tempura Day is celebrated annually on January 7th and this is always a yummy time to celebrate Tempura, a fantastic Japanese dish made from deep-frying Vegetables, Seafood, or other foods dipped in a light batter of Flour, Eggs, and Water. Did you know Tempura has been with us for about three Centuries? Although the Portuguese living in Nagasaki in the 16th Century introduced Tempura and has become entrenched in Japanese culture, you can find Tempura everywhere in Japan today. On this Holiday, you can enjoy Tempura in different ways, including a Dipping Sauce or something more experimental like Tempura Ice Cream.
HISTORY OF NATIONAL TEMPURA DAY
You may be quite familiar with some Japanese dishes like Ramen, Sushi, and a host of dishes but what about the delectable Tempura? You definitely want to know more about this dish! Interestingly, Tempura is one of the most commonly served Japanese dishes inside and outside the shores of Japan. When Japanese foods are mentioned, the thought of Tempura or Sushi comes to mind.
However, how did Tempura become so popular and special to be celebrated? Portuguese Missionaries originally introduced the deep-fried food method of cooking now associated with Tempura in the Japanese City, Nagasaki, in the 1600s. The original Tempura dish was served during Lent, an annual Christian event where many Christian denominations are forbidden to eat meat. Remarkably, the name ‘Tempura’ stems from the Latin word ‘ad tempora cuaresme,’ meaning “in the time of Lent.” The event was mistaken for the dish’s name, and Tempura came to stay.
When Tempura was introduced, this method of deep-frying food was not common and relatively new to Japan. The Japanese caught on to the new technique and skillfully made art out of Tempura. Tempura today has become a sought-after snack that accompanies meals in households and public places. From inception, Tempura was made up of minced meat in a ball shape, Fish, and Vegetables, but in the 1800s, Japanese Chefs tried Frying Fish and Vegetables together. As a result, the Japanese culinary style became fully immersed in Tempura and became uniquely Japanese. Today, the preparation and sales of Tempura have become an important part of Japanese Cuisine. Through the transformation of Tempura, the Japanese have shown their brilliance in consolidating foreign foods into unique Japanese foods.
NATIONAL TEMPURA DAY ACTIVITIES
- National Tempura Day is all about celebrating this Japanese dish, and what better way than making Tempura! To make this Holiday memorable, you could challenge yourself to prepare the Test tempura ever.
- Host a party with delicious dishes of Tempura for everyone to eat. O
- Walk into any Japanese restaurant and order the Tempura dish and sit back and enjoy!
5 FACTS ABOUT TEMPURA
- Did you Know you can make Tempura with Chocolate and Ice Cream?
- You can find Tempura virtually anywhere in Japan, from Supermarkets to Street Food Vendors.
- Restaurants that specialize in the preparation and sales of Tempura in Japan are called tempura-ya.
- The classic Tempura batter is made up of cold Water, Cake Flour, and Eggs.
- Many take-out restaurants sell Tempura as part of a lunch box meal.
WHY PEOPLE LOVE NATIONAL TEMPURA DAY
- On this day, households, restaurants, and Grocery Stores inside and outside Japan make Tempura to celebrate this Holiday.
- Tempura is delicious, and people love it; however, Tempura will only be healthy when you balance the Calories and Fat and eat Tempura in moderation.
- Tempura tastes yummy, crispy, and delicate.
Thank you,
Glenda, Charlie and David Cates
