History
Tempura arrived in Japan with Portuguese Jesuits in the 16th century, but Kyoto's chefs reshaped it for kaiseki service in the Edo era. The Kyoto form uses a lighter, less-eggy batter than Tokyo's and prioritises Kyo-yasai vegetables (sweetcorn, takenoko, kamonasu) alongside seafood. Tempura Yoshikawa from 1952 and Tempura Tenyu inside the Tawaraya ryokan (founded in the 1700s) codified the modern Kyoto counter form, with one Michelin star each. Tempura Endo Yasaka in a converted Gion teahouse runs the tourist-facing flagship.
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Common allergens: Wheat, Egg, Shellfish
Make it at home
Ingredients
- 200g cake flour, 1 egg yolk, 250ml iced sparkling water for the batter
- Seasonal vegetables: takenoko, sweetcorn, shiitake, kabocha squash, eggplant
- 12 medium prawns, head removed and tail-on, deveined
- 2 white-flesh fish fillets (sea bream or red snapper), cut into 4cm pieces
- Vegetable oil and 30% sesame oil blend for frying
- Tentsuyu dipping sauce: 100ml dashi, 30ml mirin, 30ml light soy, grated daikon
Method
- Heat the oil to 175C in a deep heavy pot.
- Mix the egg yolk and iced sparkling water; add the flour in one go and stir with chopsticks just until clumps remain. Do not overmix.
- Dust each piece of vegetable, prawn or fish lightly in flour, then dip in the cold batter.
- Fry in small batches: vegetables for 60 seconds, prawns for 90 seconds, fish for 90 seconds.
- Drain on paper towels with the pieces standing on end.
- Serve immediately with tentsuyu (mix dashi, mirin and soy, top with grated daikon) or with sea salt and a wedge of yuzu.
Tip from the editors. Iced sparkling water keeps the batter light and the gluten lazy. Never let the bowl warm; if the kitchen is hot, work over a bath of ice.
Where to eat kyoto tempura
Kyoto Tempura in Kyoto
Tempura Tenyu 1 ★ ★ 4.6
A nine-seat tempura counter in central Kyoto run by Tawaraya, the ryokan operating since the early 1700s. Located in Karasuma Kawaramachi. Priced at ¥¥¥¥.
SignatureTempura omakase, Sea bream tempura
Book2 weeks ahead
Tempura Endo Yasaka ★ 4.5
Tempura in a converted teahouse near Yasaka Pagoda, Kyoto, an ochaya from the early 1900s. Sweetcorn tempura opens each course in early summer.
SignatureTempura course, Sweetcorn tempura
Book2 weeks ahead
Kyo Tominokoji Yoshikawa 1 ★ ★ 4.5
A 1952 ryokan and tempura counter in Kyoto set around a sublime Japanese garden, downtown. One Michelin star, garden lunches across all four seasons.
SignatureTempura course, Garden lunch
Book2 weeks ahead
Tempura Yoshikawa Counter ★ 4.8
The walk-in counter of the Yoshikawa tempura ryokan in Kyoto, an alternative to the full kaiseki room. Eight seats, garden window, lighter price tag.
OrderLunch tempura course with sea bream and prawn
TipLunch counter under 7,000 yen, dinner course 14,000-22,000. Counter seats eight.
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