Tenkasu Tempura Crumbs: How to Make Japanese Tempura Bits

Tenkasu, also known as agedama, are crunchy, deep-fried tempura crumbs, tempura scraps, or any other small pieces of deep-fried tempura batter. Tempura is a traditional batter for frying fish, chicken, meat, and vegetables in Japanese cooking. Chefs prepare tenkasu by dripping tempura batter into neutral oil in a deep fryer or Dutch oven to fry until the bits are crispy. You can make tenkasu at home or purchase the food from an Asian grocery store or another local grocery store.

Panko is the ingredient chefs substitute most often for tenkasu. An unseasoned, traditional Japanese breadcrumb, panko is coarser than Italian-style breadcrumbs. Another substitute is puffed rice cereal, which provides a light, airy, and crunchy texture similar to the deep-fried flour batter of tenkasu.

Making tenkasu at home is a straightorward process.

1. 1. Heat a neutral oil. Canola oil and vegetable oil work best for deep-frying because they have high smoke points, meaning they can heat to a high temperature without smoking or catching fire. Add about three inches of oil to a Dutch oven, then heat it to medium-high heat on the stovetop. Tempura bits are small and don’t require much oil to deep-fry.
2. 2. Make the tempura batter mix. While the oil heats, mix cake flour (a wheat flour that creates a tender texture), unflavored and unsweetened sparkling water, and rice vinegar. Baking powder is optional. Stir the ingredients together with a wooden spoon. Avoid overmixing, otherwise the tempura flakes will become tough instead of light, airy, and crispy.
3. 3. Drip the tempura batter into the oil. Dip the thicker end of a chopstick into the batter, then hold the stick over your pot, letting the batter drip into the hot oil. Use the proper protection to prevent hot oil burns.
4. 4. Fry the tempura batter. Let the batter cook in the oil for about one minute, then remove the tenkasu with a slotted spoon. Place the fried bits on paper towels to absorb any excess oil. Then use the tenkasu immediately, while they retain their crunchy texture and before they becomes soggy.

In Japanese cuisine, tenkasu—or fried tempura bits—are popular additives in fillings and toppings. Here are six dishes that benefit from the inclusion of tenkasu:

1. 1. Miso soup: A classic Japanese soup, miso is a dashi (stock of bonito flakes and kombu) and soft miso paste soup. Full of umami flavor, miso sometimes also includes tofu. Sprinkle crunchy tempura bits over miso soup to add a crunch, similar to the effect of croutons over a tomato soup.
2. 2. Monjayaki: A Japanese savory pancake, monjayaki uses a thin batter containing vegetables, meats, and tenkasu.
3. 3. Okonomiyaki: Make this savory pancake with a wheat flour batter. The dish is crispy on the outside and soft on the inside. Traditional fillings include cabbage, meat, and seafood. Top the pancake with okonomiyaki sauce, tenkasu, mayonnaise, green onions, katsuobushi (also known as bonito flakes), and aonori (seaweed). In the Kansai region of Japan, okonomiyaki uses chicken eggs and dried shrimp.
4. 4. Ramen: A Japanese noodle soup, ramen utilizes Chinese-style noodles in a fish broth with soy sauce or miso. Toppings for ramen might include shaved pork (chashu), vegetables, and tenkasu for additional crunch and flavor.
   
5. 5. Takoyaki: Japanese octopus balls, takoyaki are a popular street food in Japan. The dish shares its name with the pan in which it cooks. Dried octopus, pickled ginger, green onions, and tenkasu are the most common fillings.
6. 6. Tanuki udon: A noodle dish, tanuki udon uses a dashi broth as its base. Tenkasu is a traditional topping, along with a soft-boiled egg, and both raw and cooked vegetables.

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