When it comes to hosting an event, the right catering team can make all the difference. At Natsunoya Tea House in Honolulu, HI, their dedicated staff will prepare dishes guaranteed to please every guest at your gathering. While traditional Japanese dishes like sushi and bento boxes can be a real treat for your guests, nothing delights the taste buds quite like fresh-made tempura. Tempura has been around for centuries, and Natsunoya’s catering team has put together a few of the most interesting facts about the dish’s history.

3 Surprising Facts About Tempura’s Origins in Japanese Catering & Cuisine

1. Tempura Did Not Originate in Japan

Contrary to popular belief, tempura was not a part of Japanese cuisine until the mid-16^th century. Portuguese missionaries brought the technique to the port of Nagasaki during their expeditions. Their version of the dish featured minced vegetables rolled into the batter and deep fried.

2. Tempura Was the First Method of Deep Frying Food in Japan

Prior to the Portuguese teaching Japanese chefs the art of tempura, there was no established method for deep-frying food in the nation. However, this lack may be the reason Japanese cooks were so ready to incorporate the technique into their culinary practices. Though other methods of frying have since been introduced, tempura remains the most popular frying method in Japan.

3. It Was Originally Intended for Vegetables

Though most tempura served at catering events and restaurants features meat in addition to vegetables, it wasn’t always that way. When the Portuguese missionaries brought the technique over, it was used as a way to prepare food during Lent. For those missionaries, it was customary to give up meat during the season as an act of penance. However, the Japanese saw the technique for what it was: A delicious way to prepare all types of food from fish to mushrooms.

Let Natsunoya Tea House’s experienced catering team create a tempura spread for your upcoming gathering. Visit their website for more information on their full-service sushi bars and tempura stations, and see first-hand why Honolulu has trusted Natsunoya Tea House since 1921. Call (808) 595-4488 to discuss the details of your event.