Japanese Tempura Recipe

Japanese · Main course · 35 min total

Light, crispy, and delicate, Japanese tempura is a beloved dish of seafood and vegetables coated in an ice-cold batter and deep-fried to perfection. This recipe ensures a shatteringly crisp coating every time.

Ingredients

• 8 large shrimp (peeled, deveined, tails on)
• 1 sweet potato (sliced into 1/4-inch rounds)
• 1 zucchini (sliced into 1/4-inch rounds)
• 4 shiso leaves (optional)
• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 1 cup ice-cold sparkling water (or cold water)
• 1 large egg yolk
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• Vegetable oil (for deep-frying, about 4 cups)
• Tempura dipping sauce (tentsuyu): 1 cup dashi, 1/4 cup soy sauce, 2 tablespoons mirin
• Grated daikon radish (for serving)
• Grated ginger (for serving)

Instructions

1. Prepare the dipping sauce: Combine dashi, soy sauce, and mirin in a small saucepan. Bring to a simmer, then remove from heat and set aside. Keep warm.
2. Pat all vegetables and shrimp completely dry with paper towels. Make shallow cuts on the underside of the shrimp to prevent curling.
3. In a large bowl, combine flour, baking soda, and salt. In a separate bowl, whisk together ice-cold sparkling water and egg yolk until just combined. Pour the liquid into the dry ingredients and mix with chopsticks or a fork until just combined (the batter should be lumpy and thin; do not overmix). Keep the batter cold by placing the bowl over another bowl of ice water.
4. Heat oil in a deep pot or wok to 340°F (170°C). Line a tray with paper towels.
5. Working in batches, dip each piece into the batter, letting excess drip off, and carefully place into the hot oil. Fry without crowding, turning occasionally, until light golden and crispy, about 2-3 minutes for shrimp and 3-4 minutes for vegetables.
6. Remove with a slotted spoon and drain on paper towels. Serve immediately with warm dipping sauce, grated daikon, and ginger.

Tips

• Keep the batter ice-cold; any warmth will make the coating heavy and greasy.
• Use a thermometer to maintain oil temperature between 340-350°F.
• Tempura is best eaten immediately; it does not reheat well.
• Leftover batter can be used to fry small shrimp or vegetable scraps.

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