- Prep
- 20 min
- Cook
- 10 min
- Total
- 30 min
- Serves
- 4
Ingredients
What you’ll need — tap to tick off as you go
- 500 g
- 120 g
- 40 g
- 2 g
- 3 g
- 200 ml
- 1 l
- 60 ml
- 6 g
- 15 ml
- 10 g
Process
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Make the dipping sauce: stir together the soy sauce, sugar, rice vinegar and grated ginger (if using) until the sugar dissolves. Set aside.
Pat the shrimp very dry with paper towels. Make 3 shallow crosswise cuts on the belly side of each shrimp so it stays straight during frying, then dust lightly with a little all-purpose flour.
Heat the neutral oil in a deep, heavy pot to 175°C. Keep a thermometer in the oil and adjust the heat to hold that temperature.
In a bowl, whisk the all-purpose flour, cornstarch, baking powder and fine salt. Add the ice-cold water and stir with chopsticks just until barely combined; the batter should be lumpy with dry streaks remaining.
Set the bowl of batter inside a larger bowl filled with ice cubes to keep it cold. Working in batches of 4 to 5, dip each shrimp into the batter, let the excess drip off, and lower it gently into the hot oil.
Fry for 90 seconds to 2 minutes per side, turning once, until the batter is pale golden and crisp and the shrimp is opaque and curled. Drain on a wire rack, not paper towels.
Skim any stray batter bits from the oil between batches, then repeat with the remaining shrimp. Serve immediately with the dipping sauce and lemon wedges.
Kitchen notes
Kitchen notes
- The most common mistake is overmixing the batter. Stir only until the flour is just moistened; lumps and streaks of dry flour are what create the shattering crust.
- Keep everything cold: ice water, a chilled bowl, and the bowl set over ice. Warm batter absorbs oil and turns greasy instead of crisp.
- Fry at 175°C. If the oil is too hot the batter browns before the shrimp cooks; if too cool, the coating turns soggy. Test with a drop of batter: it should sizzle and rise within a second.
- Drain fried shrimp on a wire rack so steam escapes from below. Paper towels trap steam and soften the crust.
Substitutions
- shrimp→firm white fish or sliced sweet potato
- rice vinegar→lime juice
- neutral oil→any high-smoke-point oil such as sunflower or canola
Storage & reheating
Tempura is best eaten immediately. If you must store it, keep it in a single layer in a paper-towel-lined airtight container in the fridge for up to 1 day. Reheat on a wire rack in a 200°C oven for 5 to 7 minutes to restore some crispness; never microwave it, as it will turn rubbery. The dipping sauce keeps in a sealed jar in the fridge for up to 5 days.
FAQ
The questions we get asked most
Why did my tempura batter turn out heavy and greasy?
You likely overmixed the batter or used warm water. Stir the flour and ice water only until just combined, leaving lumps, and keep the bowl over ice while frying. Also check that the oil is at 175°C; cooler oil soaks into the batter instead of sealing it.
Can I make the batter ahead of time?
No, tempura batter should be used within a few minutes of mixing. As it sits, the flour hydrates and gluten develops, which makes the coating tough and bready. Mix a fresh batch right before frying, and only as much as you need.
How do I know when the shrimp are fully cooked?
The shrimp are done when the batter is pale golden and crisp and the flesh has turned opaque white with a slight curl. This takes about 90 seconds to 2 minutes per side at 175°C. If the center looks translucent, fry for another 30 seconds.
Can I use frozen shrimp for tempura?
Yes, but thaw them completely overnight in the fridge or under cold running water, then pat them bone dry. Excess surface water makes the batter slide off and causes dangerous oil splattering. Fresh or thawed shrimp both work equally well.
Why does my tempura coating fall off in the oil?
The shrimp were probably still wet or not dusted with flour. Dry the shrimp thoroughly, score the belly, and toss lightly in flour so the batter has something to grip. Also avoid dipping shrimp with the tails dripping wet.
Can I reuse the frying oil?
Yes. Let the oil cool completely, strain it through a fine-mesh sieve or cheesecloth to remove batter bits, and store it in a sealed container in a cool, dark place for up to 2 weeks. Discard it if it smells stale or turns dark.
Is there a gluten-free way to make shrimp tempura?
Replace the all-purpose flour with a 1-to-1 gluten-free flour blend and keep the cornstarch. The texture will be slightly less airy but still crisp. Confirm your baking powder and soy sauce are gluten-free, or use tamari.
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