How to Make the Perfect Light and Crispy Tempura
Japanese · Medium · 35 min · 4 servings
Tempura is a delicate Japanese frying technique that produces an incredibly light and shatteringly crispy batter coating vegetables or seafood without any greasiness. The secret lies in using ice cold water and minimal mixing to keep the batter thin and airy.
Why this recipe works
This Light and Crispy Tempura recipe has been crafted to deliver restaurant-quality results in your home kitchen. At just 35 minutes from start to finish, it fits perfectly into a busy schedule without sacrificing flavor. Each serving comes in at 380 calories with 20g of protein, making it a balanced choice for any meal.
What you will need
This recipe uses 6 simple ingredients that you can find at any grocery store:
- 12 pieces large shrimp peeled and deveined
- 1 whole sweet potato sliced into rounds
- 1 cup all purpose flour plus extra for dusting
- 1 whole egg yolk
- 1 cup ice cold sparkling water
- 3 cups vegetable oil for frying
Step by step instructions
Step 1: Prepare the Ingredients
Pat shrimp and sweet potato slices completely dry with paper towels as any moisture will cause dangerous splattering in the hot oil. Lightly score the inner curve of each shrimp to prevent curling during frying. Dust everything lightly in flour and shake off any excess before battering.
Step 2: Make the Tempura Batter
Combine egg yolk and ice cold sparkling water in a bowl and whisk briefly. Add flour all at once and stir just 3 or 4 times with chopsticks or a fork, leaving the batter very lumpy. The batter must remain ice cold and should not be smooth. Overmixing develops gluten and ruins the light texture.
Step 3: Fry the Tempura
Heat vegetable oil to 180 degrees Celsius in a deep heavy pot. Working in small batches, dip each piece into the tempura batter letting excess drip off, then lower gently into the hot oil. Fry shrimp for 2 minutes and sweet potato for 3 to 4 minutes until the batter is pale golden and crispy.
Step 4: Drain and Serve
Remove tempura using a slotted spoon and place on a wire rack to drain, never on paper towels which can make the bottom soggy. Serve immediately as tempura loses its crispiness quickly. Accompany with a small bowl of warm tentsuyu dipping sauce made from dashi, soy sauce, and mirin.
Easy substitutions
Missing an ingredient? Here are some swaps that work perfectly:
- sparkling water → plain ice cold water works fine though sparkling water produces slightly lighter results
- sweet potato → broccoli florets, green beans, or mushrooms all make excellent tempura vegetables
Common mistakes to avoid
Watch out for these pitfalls that can affect your results:
- Mixing the batter too thoroughly which develops gluten and creates a heavy doughy coating instead of a light crispy one
- Overcrowding the frying pot which drops the oil temperature and results in greasy rather than crispy tempura
Nutrition facts
Per serving: 380 calories, 20g protein, 34g carbs, 18g fat, 3g fiber.
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