COLE'S COOKING A TO Z by Annette Gooch

Cold batter and hot oil make the best tempura.

Using wheat flour in the batter creates a delicious fritter-style coating, while cornstarch, rice flour or chestnut flour yields thinner, more transparent batters typical of the authentic Japanese tempura.

To keep the chilled batter as cold as possible as the food is dipped and fried, consider setting the bowl of batter into a larger bowl of crushed ice. The oil of choice for tempura is peanut, which, when fresh, gives off very little taste of its own and has a high smoke point.

For proper frying, the temperature of the oil should be in the range of 360 degrees to 390 degrees. If you're not using a thermostatically controlled fryer, then clip a thermometer designed for deep-frying or candy-making to the side of the cooking pan. This will allow you to tell the temperature of the oil at a glance.

If the tempura is to be fried in a pan, fill it no more than two-thirds full of oil. With the heat on high, bring the oil to the desired temperature and then reduce the heat to medium-low or low.

To test the temperature of the oil, use tongs to dip a piece of food into the batter, allow the excess batter to drain off, and slip the battered food into the hot oil.

Keep your eye on the thermometer and on the food rather than the clock:

As the food is introduced into the hot oil, the temperature will dip slightly but should return to the desired temperature range within 30 seconds.

If the oil isn't hot enough to return quickly to the ideal temperature range or if the test piece doesn't begin to brown, the oil is too cold to fry properly.

If the temperature exceeds 400 degrees or if the test piece threatens to burn, the oil is too hot. Adjust the heat and allow the oil to return to the proper temperature; repeat the test with a fresh piece of battered food.

Be prepared to adjust the heat and the volume of the food you try to cook at one time so that the temperature of the oil doesn't leave the 360-to-390-degree range for longer than a few seconds.

After the fried tempura has briefly drained on paper towels, have a warm platter ready to receive it. Serve the tempura as soon as possible, garnished as you wish and accompanied by dipping sauces.

SUCCESS TIPS

— Tempura cooks in a fraction of the time required to prepare the ingredients and assemble the equipment and other items required for cooking and serving it. Prepare and gather everything you need for the tempura before you turn on the heat underneath the oil.

— The more delicate the tempura batter and the thinner and less dense the food dipped into it, the more quickly the tempura will be done — sometimes in as little as 30 seconds.

— Tempura quickly loses its delicate crispness if held for any length of time or reheated. Plan to serve it as soon as possible.

— Rice flour, chestnut flour, hot Chinese mustard, soy sauce and bean-thread and rice-stick noodles are available from stores specializing in Japanese foods, and from some natural food stores and larger supermarkets.

This recipe is an American variation on the traditional tempura the Japanese learned about centuries ago from Portuguese traders.

A beer-and-egg batter similar to that used for fried fish gives this version its golden colour. The batter for this recipe needs to be refrigerated for three hours before using.

This same batter can be used for prawns or scallops, or vegetables such as slivered red bell pepper, thin slices of sweet potato or eggplant, or broccoli tops cut into medium-sized flowerets.

Set out small dishes of prepared hot Chinese mustard and soy sauce for dipping the tempura, as shown in the photograph.

TEMPURA CHICKEN

1 ? cups flour

1 teaspoon salt

¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

1 tablespoon oil

2 egg yolks, lightly beaten

1 ¼ cups flat beer

2 egg whites, beaten until stiff

3 to 4 cups oil

2 pounds boneless white chicken meat, cut into 1-inch cubes

Hot mustard or soy sauce with grated fresh ginger, for dipping (optional)

Garnishes, such as snow peas, mushrooms, scallions, boiled bean thread noodles or fried rice stick noodles

1. In a medium bowl, combine flour, salt, pepper, oil, egg yolks and beer; stir briefly to blend, ignoring any lumps. Cover and let batter rest in the refrigerator for at least three hours or overnight.

2. When ready to fry the tempura, fold beaten egg whites into chilled batter. Meanwhile, preheat oven to 200 degrees and set a heatproof platter and a baking sheet in the oven to warm.

3. In a heavy-bottomed, three-quart saucepan, heat oil to 365 degrees. When oil is hot, dip chicken pieces, a few at a time, into chilled batter; then drain off excess batter and slip battered chicken into hot oil.

Deep-fry until coating is golden brown and the center of the cubes of chicken register 165 degrees on an instant-read digital thermometer (approximately five to six minutes).

4. Line baking sheet with paper towels. Using a slotted spoon or wire skimmer, transfer cooked chicken to paper towel-lined baking sheet; place in oven to keep warm until all pieces have been cooked.

Transfer tempura to warmed platter, garnish (if desired) with fresh vegetables and bean thread or rice-stick noodles. Serve at once with hot Chinese mustard or soy sauce with freshly grated ginger.

Serves four with other dishes.

For additional culinary information and recipes from Cole's Cooking A to Z, e-mail AtoZ@culinarysocietyofamerica.com.