In stereotypical impressions,
Fried foods are often directly associated with junk food!
Whether it's the globally popular American burgers or the street food stalls and fried skewers eaten on the roadside, in many people's eyes, they are high-oil, high-calorie foods!
However, in the realm of gourmet cuisine, Tempura in Japan is an exception.
Although it is still considered "fried junk food" by some, true connoisseurs know that Tempura looks simple but cannot be fried casually.
From the freshness of the ingredients to the selection of cooking utensils, the mastery of seasonings, and the control of temperature, everything must be meticulous and precise!
Therefore,
Good Tempura
Has a crispy texture when eaten, completely without the greasiness of fried food.
It's not comparable to street snacks, or the fried foods from McDonald's and Kentucky Fried Chicken.
...
Crunch!
Munch!
After taking a bite of the Tempura,
Yoshino Yuki's mouth actually made crunching and munching sounds!
"Mmm!"
"It's really crispy!"
"As soon as it enters the mouth, the crispy batter makes a delightful sound between the lips and tongue!"
"The overall taste is crispy on the outside and fresh on the inside, fragrant but not greasy, and the oyster has a faint sweetness. If you savor it carefully, you can also feel that your mouth is always filled with the most natural taste of the ingredients!"
After speaking, Yoshino, still wanting more, picked up another small piece of Tempura with her chopsticks and continued to chew slowly.
"Hmm?"
"This standard..."
"It really exceeded my expectations!"
Isshiki Satoshi, who was also eating Tempura, fell into surprise.
It should be known that high-quality Tempura should not be coated with a thick batter, but rather a thin layer of coating.
The reason is that the coating quickly forms in hot oil, encasing the ingredients within it. The moisture from the ingredients evaporates and is trapped by the coating, steaming the food inside the coating.
That is to say,
Regardless of the ingredients used,
It and the batter must achieve a perfect balance of oil and water, sweetness and freshness, texture and flavor!
Clearly, in his preparation, Sosuke's Restaurant did an excellent job!
The Tempura he made had a very, very thin coating, without any sloppiness.
That cooking method which pursues the original taste of ingredients, that style which creates another kind of deliciousness through simplicity and plainness, was truly embodied to the fullest in this small piece of Tempura!
Even if Isshiki Satoshi were to try making Tempura himself, he would absolutely not be able to reach this level.
"Strange!"
"Isn't this just an ordinary Izakaya?"
"Why is this Shopkeeper's culinary skill so strong that even I can't fathom it?"
Staring blankly at Sosuke, Isshiki Satoshi couldn't help but fall into a brief daze, his gaze gradually becoming complex!
Sometimes, a single dish can truly reflect a chef's skill!
From this Tempura, it's clear that Sosuke's Restaurant has brought out the inherent flavors of various ingredients to their extreme.
He even used scientific techniques and excellent temperature control to make the Tempura truly possess the outstanding characteristics of being crispy on the outside and tender on the inside, rich in flavor and fresh.
It's no exaggeration to say,
The Tempura at the Izakaya
Is definitely the most delicious of all the Tempura Isshiki Satoshi has ever eaten in his life!
Therefore, in his eyes, just this Tempura alone meant that Sosuke's Restaurant far surpassed all of the Elite Ten at Totsuki Academy!
But precisely such a person, his identity is merely the Shopkeeper of a small Izakaya!
Could it be that today's strong individuals prefer to be hidden in plain sight?
...
First,
Select a fresh wild salmon.
After washing the salmon, use kitchen paper towels to wipe off the surface moisture.
Then, evenly spread an appropriate amount of salt on the fish, and let it stand for 15 minutes to allow the salt to fully penetrate the fish meat.
Next, place the fish on a grill and grill over medium heat for 8 minutes, turning the fish constantly to prevent burning.
Finally, remove the grilled salmon, place it on a plate, wait a moment for it to cool down, and then serve it in front of Isshiki Satoshi and the others!
"Shopkeeper!"
"Can I trouble you for a moment?"
"I'd like to ask you a question about this Tempura."
"How do you approach the smoke point of oil to achieve perfect control of the heat when frying Tempura?"
Unexpectedly, just as Sosuke put down the plate and was about to turn back to the counter, he was called out by Isshiki Satoshi and asked a very professional question!
The so-called smoke point of oil
Refers to the temperature at which oil begins to produce smoke during heating.
When the oil's temperature exceeds its smoke point, the oil will begin to undergo oxidation, decomposition, polymerization, and other reactions.
Therefore, if they are experienced chefs, they usually utilize the oil's smoke point to handle various ingredients!
"Tempura."
"To achieve a crispy texture when frying,"
"But still maintain the tenderness of the internal ingredients, the temperature generally needs to be controlled between 150 to 180 degrees Celsius!"
"So, the smoke point of the oil used should be above this temperature to be effective, but it should not be too high."
"After all, only this temperature and time can ensure that the batter is fried evenly, crispy on the outside and tender on the inside, while also avoiding the smoke point issue of the oil."
"If oil with a very high smoke point is used, and an experienced chef can control it properly, then there is no problem! But for many inexperienced chefs, when the temperature has already soared to the highest limit of the smoke point, they may not even notice."
"Ultimately, the result will be that the Tempura is fried like Kentucky Fried Chicken!"
At this moment, everyone present looked at Sosuke with shocked faces, only Isshiki Satoshi remained calm!
They had not expected that when frying Tempura, one could also utilize the oil's smoke point. Of course, this ingenious method certainly requires the chef to master the smoke point index of various oils!
...
"Then... then this..."
"What are the smoke point indexes for various oils, and if frying Tempura, which oil would be best to use?"
Subsequently, when the atmosphere became relatively quiet,
A curious Tadokoro Megumi finally couldn't help but pluck up her courage and asked softly.
"Rapeseed oil 104 to 116 degrees Celsius, corn oil 160 degrees Celsius, walnut oil 160 degrees Celsius, white sesame oil's smoke point is generally around 210 degrees Celsius, olive oil 188 degrees Celsius, soybean oil 110 to 116 degrees Celsius..."
"As for which oil should be used when frying Tempura, there are actually many choices."
"Sesame oil!"
"Corn oil!"
"Safflower oil!"
"These types of oil can all be used to fry Tempura!"
"You can also use camellia oil, corn oil, soybean oil, and different pressing methods and refining levels will naturally bring different characteristics to the Tempura!"
----------------------------------
I've already posted 40 new chapters on Patreon!
If you like the story and want to reaad more, please visit my patreon. Every support is very meaningful!
[patreon.com/Kazenova223]
Thank you very much!
"And If you're enjoying it, drop a Power Stone for me!"