Tempura is an iconic, centuries-old dish and cooking technique, originating in Japan. But did you know that its particular preparation, as well as its name, are said to have been borne out of adherence to an ancient Christian tradition?
What is Tempura?#
AllRecipes.com calls Tempura, “a popular Japanese dish in which food (most commonly seafood, vegetables, or sushi) is lightly battered and deep fried to create a light, crispy coating. Any time you see the term ‘tempura fried’ on the menu at your favorite Japanese steakhouse, this simply refers to food that was dipped in this batter and fried.”
Tempura batter typically consists of just three simple ingredients – egg, wheat flour, and ice water, lightly mixed before application. No seasonings nor even salt are added.
What is Lent?#
Lent is, according to the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops, “a 40 day season of prayer, fasting, and almsgiving that begins on Ash Wednesday and ends at sundown on Holy Thursday. It’s a period of preparation to celebrate the Lord’s Resurrection at Easter. During Lent, we seek the Lord in prayer by reading Sacred Scripture; we serve by giving alms; and we practice self-control through fasting. We are called not only to abstain from luxuries during Lent, but to a true inner conversion of heart as we seek to follow Christ’s will more faithfully. We recall the waters of baptism in which we were also baptized into Christ’s death, died to sin and evil, and began new life in Christ.”
To put it more simply (and generally), Lent is a period of about 40 days, ending a few days before Easter, wherein many Christians intentionally practice private self-sacrifice and ascetic-like denial of personal pleasure in various ways. It is a solemn period, bookended by joyous celebrations, most notably the greatest celebration of the Christian liturgical year, Easter.
What Does Lent Have to do with Flour, Vegetables, and Seafood?#
This period of sacrifice has manifested itself in different ways according to different traditions over the centuries of Christian worship, but one iconic and enduring aspect of Lent in many traditions is the giving up of warm-blooded meat as sustenance. Meat has historically been considered a celebratory luxury, one which Christians typically gave up to some degree during this contemplative period.
Vegetables, bread, and seafood thus naturally become significant sources of sustenance for Christians observing Lent. Catholics in particular commonly used to (earnestly attempt to) give up meat for the entire 40-day period.
Enter the Portuguese#
The Portuguese had been Catholic Christian country since well before Portugal as an independent state even existed. Afonso Henriques, the first King of Portugal, declared the independence of the County of Portugal from the Kingdom of León in 1137, offering his allegiance as a vassal of the Catholic Pope.
The Portuguese were later at the forefront the Age of Exploration in the 1500s, sailing all around the globe in search of riches and glory, reaching America, Africa, and Asia. They became significant players in global trade.
How did the Portuguese and Japanese First Come in Contact?#
Portuguese sailors first landed in Japan in 1543, marking the first known European contact with the Japanese. António da Mota and Francisco Zeimoto, specifically, are said to be the first Europeans to have landed in Japan, having been blown off course by a storm and landing on accident in the southern archipelago of Japan, where they are said to have introduced foreign inventions such as firearms to Japanese society. Their arrival paved the way for the promulgation of the then-village of Nagasaki as a port where foreigners and Japanese traded goods.
How Did “Tempura” Spread?#
Takashi Morieda, a Japanese food specialist with a background in cultural anthropology, had this to say about Japanese frying techniques and abstinence from meat before tempura:
“China, which has long influenced Japan, has traditions rich in culinary techniques based on the use of oil. In fact, written Chinese includes an array of characters used to distinguish different types of frying, such as quick-frying over high heat, searing at low heat, and so on.
Yet Japan was unaffected by this particular culinary aspect of China: early Japanese cooking was more strongly influenced by the injunction against eating meat that arrived with the introduction of Buddhism in the sixth century. This meat-eating taboo came to Japan by way of China, but Buddhism was not the state religion of China, nor was it closely associated with the ruling classes, as it was in Japan. Pig lard was used to prepare some dishes in China, but pork fat was unavailable in Japan, once the eating of pork was prohibited. Vegetable oils were obtainable here, but they were used mainly as fuel for illumination and their quantity was limited; thus the use of oil in cooking was slow to catch on.
Tempura most likely made its first appearance in Japan via Spanish and Portuguese missionaries and traders, who introduced deep-frying in oil during the latter half of the sixteenth century. Gradually, the type of cooking we now know as tempura became firmly established during the eighteenth century.”
This particular battering and frying technique thus is believed to have spread from Catholics in Nagasaki adhering to Lenten abstinence from meat. One specific Portuguese dish is frequently named as the originator of tempura: “Peixinhos da Horta,” or, “little fishes from the garden.” It is a lightly-battered-and-fried serving of vegetables, typically green beans. It is so named in Portuguese, because the appearance of the green beans after frying resembles little fried fish.
Why is it called, “Tempura?”#
There are various competing theories as to the origin of the name, “Tempura,” all of them tending to have to do with Portuguese or its ancestor, Latin, the traditional liturgical language of the Catholic Church.
Tempura is variously said to have originated from “tempora,” referring to the “time” or “season” of Lent, or “templo,” for “church,” or “temperar,” a word for “cooking.”
“Tempura” Today#
Tempura has evolved from its humble beginnings as foreign sailor’s diet to a rich tradition innovated upon by the Japanese over the centuries. It is commonly associated with outdoor food stalls, owing originally to an old ban on frying foods indoors, due to the dangers associated with traditional Japanese wooden buildings catching fire from the frying process.
Conclusion#
Pretty cool, huh? I was personally quite surprised to learn this! I hope you enjoyed this short article. Go out and have some tempura this Lenten season. (I’m writing this in the middle of Lent - I know what tomorrow’s dinner will be!)
Thanks for reading :)
Alex
Bibliography#
Fincher, Melanie. “What is Tempura and How Is It Made?” AllRecipes, January 28, 2021. https://www.allrecipes.com/article/what-is-tempura/
“What is Lent?” U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops, 2026. https://www.usccb.org/prayer-worship/liturgical-year/lent
Mudge, Emily. “Portuguese Religion: A Brief History of Portugal Part 2.” Portugal Online, April 30, 2021. https://portugalonline.com/portugal-blogs/portuguese-religion
Gillespie, Becky. “When Portugal First Reached Japan: 15 Facts That Changed History.” Portugal.com, January 28, 2026. https://www.portugal.com/history-and-culture/when-portugal-first-reached-japan-15-facts-that-changed-global-history/
Morieda, Takashi. “Tracking Down Tempura.” Kikkoman Food Forum. https://web.archive.org/web/20080110233636/http://www.kikkoman.com/foodforum/thejapanesetablebackissues/06.shtml