Light and Crispy Tempura Batter (Print version)
An ice-cold tempura batter for shrimp and vegetables with a thin, lacy, crisp crust.
# Ingredients:
For the tempura batter
01 -
3/4 cup (180 ml) ice-cold water or cold seltzer
02 -
1 large cold egg
03 -
3/4 cup (90 g) all-purpose flour, chilled if possible
04 -
1/4 cup (32 g) cornstarch
05 -
1/2 teaspoon fine salt
For frying
06 -
6 cups neutral oil, such as canola, vegetable, or peanut oil
07 -
12 large shrimp (about 340 g), peeled and deveined with tails left on
08 -
2 cups mixed vegetables, such as sweet potato slices, mushrooms, green beans, zucchini, or eggplant
09 -
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour, for dusting
For quick tentsuyu sauce
10 -
3/4 cup (180 ml) dashi or water with 1 teaspoon dashi powder
11 -
3 tablespoons soy sauce
12 -
2 tablespoons mirin
13 -
2 teaspoons sugar
14 -
2 tablespoons grated daikon, optional
# Instructions:
01 -
Combine dashi, soy sauce, mirin, and sugar in a small saucepan. Bring to a simmer for 1-2 minutes, then remove from the heat and set aside.
02 -
Pat shrimp and vegetables very dry. Slice firm vegetables about 1/4 inch thick so they cook before the coating browns.
03 -
Pour 2 inches of oil into a heavy pot and heat to 340-350°F. Set a wire rack over a baking sheet for draining.
04 -
Whisk the cold egg with the ice-cold water or seltzer until blended. Keep the mixture cold until the oil is ready.
05 -
Add flour, cornstarch, and salt to a bowl. Pour in the cold egg mixture and stir briefly with chopsticks or a fork until lumpy. Do not mix smooth.
06 -
Lightly dust shrimp or vegetables with flour, dip into the batter, let extra batter drip off, and carefully slide into the hot oil. Fry in small batches until pale golden and crisp, about 1-2 minutes for shrimp and green beans, 2-3 minutes for most sliced vegetables.
07 -
Transfer tempura to the wire rack and skim loose crumbs from the oil between batches. Serve hot with tentsuyu sauce and grated daikon if using.
# Good to know:
01 -
Use the batter immediately after mixing for the lightest texture.
02 -
Keep oil between 340-350°F for most shrimp and vegetables.
03 -
A lumpy batter is correct and helps create a lacy crust.