Can Tempura Ever Be Vegan?

A tempura platter is one of many classics that you can find at pretty much every Japanese joint. One of the key characteristics that sets tempura batter apart from other types of batters is its delicate, airy coating that delivers a satisfying crunch when bitten into. For vegetarians and vegans, a serving of vegetable tempura might seem like a safe choice when dining out, but here's the scoop: traditional tempura usually contains egg. This might be acceptable for some vegetarians, but for those who avoid eggs or any animal-derived ingredients, you would want to ask the restaurant staff if the tempura batter contains eggs. A basic tempura batter requires flour, eggs, and ice-cold water. You can even add soda water for better tempura. Eggs serve as a binding agent and provide essential moisture to the batter. The high-fat content of the egg yolk also helps maintain the batter's integrity. Some places may even add dairy-based ingredients like milk or buttermilk, which are also not vegan-friendly.

The good news is that restaurants are recognizing the growing demand for plant-based options and are tweaking some foundational recipes to make them vegan by default. The same applies to tempura, and this ensures that a larger demographic of diners can partake in this delectably crunchy dish. In fact, there is a traditional tempura called shojin age, which is plant-based by default, containing no animal-derived ingredients. From using the tempura to make a crispy filling for your sushi, or to make a serving of vegetable tempura using the best veggies for the task, there are a number of ways to savor a vegan-friendly bite of tempura.

The existence of shojin age can be credited to the introduction of Buddhism in Japan during the 6th century. It is classified as being part of temple cuisine, which predominantly centers animal-free cooking. When you think about it, long before the term "vegan" became a food trend associated with kale smoothies and quinoa bowls, animal-free cuisine has been thriving in various cultural cuisines from around the world for centuries.

Now, let's get into how you can make a delicious, animal-free tempura sans eggs. Luckily, some of the best oils for frying tempura are plant-based, so that piece of the puzzle is set. For the batter, there will be certain ingredients that will step in for the role that eggs play. Water and soda water (or club soda) — both ice-cold — are essential for optimum crispiness, and cake flour is important for the airy texture. Rice vinegar helps counter gluten formation, which will yield a doughy tempura as opposed to a crispy one; and baking powder to keep the tempura crispy even once cooled. When they come together, you have plant-powered tempura magic. For extra lightness, you can also incorporate some cornstarch.

Another component of tempura is the dipping sauce called tentsuyu. This sauce contains fish products, meaning it's a no-go for plant-based eaters. You can find some fish-free brands to replace the fishy ingredients with seaweed for the bold flavors of the sea, and mushrooms for a punch of umami. You can also make your own vegan tentsuyu. Another option is to make a dipping salt to enhance the flavor of your tempura platter. This can be plain salt, or you can incorporate other components like matcha for extra depth.