Lens on Japan

When Japanese maple turns red shopkeepers in tourist destinations prepare “momiji tempura” – maple leaves deep-fried in dough.

Unlike real tempura which extracts the taste of food, in “momiji tempura” the leaf has no taste and lends only the shape to the final product. Taste depends on the dough and differs depending on a place, but basically is similar to many crispy snacks that go well with a drink.