Bring the Taste of Tempura to the Tailgate
One of the best things about being on this planet is the ability to travel the world. Whether looking for museums or the oldest dive bars, one thing remains on every traveler’s list: finding the best restaurants to eat at.
The greatest part about vacations and exploring places, whether it be your own city, across the country or around the world is culture and exploring the ones we know and some that we don’t. The game starts soon so, let’s bring a different part of the world to the tailgate!
1. The Classic Japanese Udon
It’s no secret that Udon noodles are one of the most sought-after dishes in the Japanese culture. It’s a classic savory meal that will leave you wanting more. From the white noodles that are thicker than most noodles, to the taste of the broth and the crunchiness of the tempura lightly resting within the bowl, it’s a sight for one to see and a pleasure to eat.
What also makes this meal so beautiful is that you can create the soup yourself or simply purchase pre-made packets of Udon soup. According to Chopstick Chronicles, here’s what you’ll need:
Ingredients for Udon noodles:
Cooking instructions:
- 1Fill a large pot with water and bring it to a boil. Once boiling, add in the Udon noodles and cook according to the instructions on the package.
- 2In two separate bowls, empty the 2 Udon dashi sachets and add in 250ml hot water in each bowl.
- 3Once the noodles are done, drain them and divide evenly into the two-separate bowls containing the dashi sachets.
Ingredients for tempura prawn from allrecipes.com :
Cooking instructions:
- 1In a deep fryer heat oil to about 375 degrees F.
- 2In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, cornstarch, and salt. In the middle of the bowl, make an indent in the mixture. Pour the water and egg yolk in the center and mix all together. The batter will be lumpy, then stir in the egg whites.
- 3Take one shrimp and dip it into the batter (don’t batter the tails) then carefully put it into the hot oil. As a precaution and safety measure, do not drop the shrimp in the hot oil, simply place them one at a time in the oil. Fry until golden brown 2 minutes or less.
Instructions for Udon noodles and prawns:
- 1Take the two slices of fish cake, shallots and tempura prawn and place on top of the noodles that are placed in each bowl.
How is this recipe perfect for a tailgate? Bring a saucepan with you and place it on the grill to reheat. If you want the tempura extra crispy, place that too on the grill for a little bit before eating.
2. Tempura Shrimp
Tempura shrimp is one of the best foods to eat by itself or with an amazing dip ranging from honey mustard to sweet and sour sauce. For this recipe from allrecipes.com, here’s what you’ll need to get the perfect tempura shrimp.
Ingredients:
Cooking instructions:
- 1Mix together the rice wine and salt in a medium-sized bowl.
- 2Take the already peeled shrimp and toss it into the mixture. Cover the bowl and place in refrigerator for 20 minutes.
- 3In a deep fryer, pour in the oil until it reaches 375 degrees F.
- 4Taking another medium-sized bowl, combine the all-purpose flour, ice water, cornstarch, egg yolk, shortening, baking powder and sugar.
- 5Removing the shrimp from the refrigerator, coat them one at a time in the flour mixture.
- 6Once covered in the batter, take each shrimp and place them into the deep fryer. Cook until golden brown.
3. Tempura Green Beans
Tempura green beans are fun for any party, especially for a tailgate. When you combine the crispy crunch of the green beans with an awesome dip, the fun never stops, and the party continues with every delicious bite. This recipe is perfect for switching out French fries for a much healthy option that is just as tasty. This recipe hails from Bon Appétit.
Ingredients:
Cooking instructions:
- 1In a medium-sized bowl, whisk together the flour, club soda and pinch of kosher salt.
- 2Take the vegetable oil and pour it into a deep fryer. You want to aim for 2 inches and heat over medium-high heat until temperatures reach 375 degrees F.
- 3After rinsing the green beans, lightly dry with a paper towel and place the green beans in the batter.
- 4Once the green beans are battered up, put them in the deep fryer for about 3 minutes.
- 5Take out of the fryer when finished and season with salt and other seasonings of your choosing.
4. Tempura Cheese Stuffed Chilies
This recipe had me at cheese! The perfect mix of crunch, a little kick with the chilies and the gooeyness of the cheese calls for a great appetizer. Bringing this to a tailgate and pairing it up with a cold drink of choice is simple and fun. Food Republic shares their recipe for this fun handheld treat.
Ingredients:
Cooking instructions:
- 1Take the chilies and slice them down the middle vertically. Remove the seeds.
- 2Take the cheese of choice (this recipe calls for cheddar) and put strips of cheese inside the chilies
- 3In a bowl, mix together the flours and iced water.
- 4In a small frying pan, pour the oil and heat on medium-high heat un simmering.
- 5Taking the chilies and putting them in the batter mixture.
- 6Dip the battered chilies into the oil keep turning for 2 minutes.
5. Tempura Oreos
There’s a lot of tempura foods out there, but this one is the sweetest treat of them all: the tempura Oreo. Whether you’re trying to put all the yummy Japanese food to the side and get dessert, to rushing to the state fair, tempura Oreos never disappoint and are great at a tailgate. Allrecipes.com shares their five-star rated dessert recipe, here’s what you’ll need:
Ingredients:
Cooking instructions:
- 1Heat the oil in a pan or deep fryer until it reaches 375 degrees F.
- 2In a large bowl whisk together the egg, vegetable oil and milk until smooth.
- 3Stir in the pancake mix until no lumps are seen.
- 4Take the cookies of choice and dip them into the batter then place them into the hot oil.
- 5Cook for about 2 minutes or until the cookies are golden brown.
- 6Once finished, place the cookies on a paper towel to wipe off any excess oil and sprinkle with powdered sugar.
6. Tempura Ice Cream
Tempura ice cream is the sweetest tempura treat of them all. Making the tempura ice cream balls isn’t tough. They are fun and easy to make and even better to eat.
The problem with this dessert is whether or not it’ll make it to the tailgate. Once they’re finished, you’ll be tempted to eat them all. Here’s what you’ll need to make these fun ice cream treats.
Ingredients:
Other necessities:
Directions:
- 1Take an ice cream scooper and scoop about 6-8 ice cream balls. Place them on a piece of parchment paper that’ll line the baking sheet.
- 2Take your pound cake and slice them to about 2 inches thick
- 3Take the ice cream balls and wrap them in the pound cake and place in the freezer for about an hour.
- 4In a medium bowl, combine the flour, water and egg.
- 5In a deep fryer, heat the oil until it reaches 400 degrees F.
- 6Take the ice cream balls out of the freezer and dip them into the tempura batter.
- 7Once the ice cream balls are coated in batter, carefully lower them into the hot oil. Cook until the batter is golden. (Don’t cook for too long or the ice cream will melt)
- 8Once finished, place the ice cream balls on a paper towel to wipe off any excess oil and sprinkle with powdered sugar.
Tempura for One, Tempura for All
Bringing tempura to the tailgate is easier than we thought.
Bringing a stove top pan to heat the soup, or even give the tempura a fresh crisp taste is ideal for all these recipes.
So pack the extra sauce, and make sure to make plenty for all your guests at your tailgate party.
