The Unofficial World Cup of Food 2010 - Japan

It is the turn of Japan to be represented today in the Unofficial World Cup of Food 2010. In the FIFA World Cup in South Africa, the Japanese team take on Denmark tonight with a place in the last sixteen awaiting the winners of that encounter. That could be quite a tasty match as both sides have provided some decent entertainment, with Denmark featuring in what for me has been the most entertaining match of the tournament thus far, against Cameroon last Saturday night.

Before then, however, it is time for a taste of Japanese food. Although most people will automatically think of sushi when Japanese food is mentioned, there is clearly much more to Japanese cuisine. I am delighted to introduce today Helium writer and trainee chef Erikson Arcilla, from the Philippines, who kindly accepted my invitation to feature as a guest representative of Japan.



Shrimp in Tempura Batter

What we have here is a tempura made from beer batter...

Batter:

1/2 can of beer ( your choice )
3/4 cup of flour
1/2 tsp of allspice
1/2 tsp of salt

Directions: Pour the beer in bowl then sift the flour into it. Add in the allspice and the salt and mix it until frothy.

Shrimp:

De-vein the shrimp and put it on a separate plate. Season it with salt and pepper and add olive oil and melted butter (just enough to coat it.)

Add finely chopped rosemary or any herb of your choice. Mix and coat well.

Cooking the tempura:

In a separate bowl. Put in flour. Coat the shrimp before dredging it in the batter.

Heat the oil until it reaches tempura frying range. To test for the right temperature, place a drop of batter into the oil. The batter should rise after 1 or 2 seconds. That is the right time. Cook until golden brown.

Dip:

The dip here is real simple. You can make it by using 1 tbsp. Mayonnaise, 1/2 tsp of oyster sauce, 1/2 tsp of mustard and lime for acidity.