Tempura shrimp is a popular and very appealing dish from Japan. Previously, enjoying this delicious dish usually required going to restaurants specializing in Japanese cuisine, but today, with the recipe and method for making tempura shrimp below, you can easily make it yourself in your own kitchen.
I. History and Origin of Shrimp Tempura
In a survey of food preferences among foreigners traveling in Japan, tempura ranked among the top. The dish is a combination of seafood or vegetables mixed with flour, water, and egg, then dipped in a batter and deep-fried until crispy.
There are many ways to enjoy this dish. Tempura is usually eaten with a sweet sauce made from a combination of Dashi broth, soy sauce, and Mirin, or with a sauce mixed with some grated daikon radish and ginger.
Some sources suggest that Portuguese missionaries introduced tempura to Japan in the 16th century during the Muromachi period (1333–1573). Tempura became popular in Japan in the early Edo period (1603–1868) as a street food.
Towards the end of the Edo period and the beginning of the Meiji period (1868–1912), restaurants and eateries selling tempura became more common, and it came to be considered a specialty of Japanese cuisine.
Many people still think that to enjoy tempura, you have to go to high-end restaurants, but in Japan, it’s prepared regularly and is popular everywhere, from luxurious restaurants to casual eateries, on family meal menus, and you can even buy it on street corners or in supermarkets.
While tempura shrimp are made from many ingredients, today we’ll learn how to make tempura!
II. Ingredients for making shrimp tempura
1. Ingredients for the dipping sauce for shrimp tempura
- 180ml dashi broth
- 3 tablespoons soy sauce
- 2 tablespoons mirin
- 2 teaspoons of sugar
2. Ingredients for tempura batter
- 350g all-purpose flour
- 1 large chicken egg (50g)
- 200ml of ice-cold water
3. Other ingredients for tempura-coated shrimp
- 10 tiger prawns
- 700ml cooking oil
- A little potato starch or cornstarch
- 1 tablespoon of sake
- 1 piece of white radish (about 5cm)
III. How to make fried tempura shrimp easily
1. How to make tempura dipping sauce (Tentsuyu)
Combine 180ml dashi broth, 3 tablespoons soy sauce, 3 tablespoons mirin, and 2 teaspoons sugar in a small saucepan and bring to a boil.
Then reduce the heat and simmer until the sugar is completely dissolved. Turn off the heat and let it cool.
2. Preparing shrimp
Wash the shrimp, remove the heads and black vein, and peel the shells, leaving the tail shell intact. Then, use a knife to make a few light cuts along the shrimp’s belly.
The belly contains muscle fibers that tend to contract at high temperatures. Lightly cutting these muscle fibers will prevent the shrimp from curling when fried. Next, bend the shrimp backward (belly facing upwards) to straighten it.
Use a knife to squeeze the water out of the shrimp’s tail. This is a step you shouldn’t skip; the water trapped inside the tail will cause the oil to splatter when frying.
Sprinkle a little potato starch or cornstarch over the shrimp and mix well. Then, rinse the shrimp thoroughly under running water.
Next, add 1 tablespoon of sake to the shrimp, mix well, then drain (you don’t need to rinse them with water).
Finally, pat the shrimp dry with paper towels to remove all the water.
Note:
- You should pat the shrimp dry to help them stay crispy.
- Straighten the shrimp to help the tempura achieve the desired shape.
- Remove the water from the shrimp’s tail to prevent oil from splattering and causing burns when frying.
- Potato starch or cornstarch will absorb the odor and dirt from the shrimp.
3. How to make tempura batter
Sift the all-purpose flour into a large bowl.
Add one egg and 200ml of ice-cold water to a separate bowl, whisk the mixture vigorously, and skim off any foam that rises to the surface.
Pour the egg mixture slowly into the flour, stirring constantly, but don’t over-stir. Keep the batter cool. You can refrigerate it until ready to use.
Note:
- Chill all the ingredients for the batter before mixing.
- Beat the eggs and water vigorously until well combined before mixing them with the flour.
- Fry the batter immediately after preparing it to avoid activating the gluten in the wheat flour.
4. How to fry tempura shrimp
Pour 700ml of oil into a pan and heat it on the stove to about 170-180 degrees Celsius.
Lightly sprinkle a thin layer of potato starch or cornstarch over the shrimp. The starch acts as an adhesive, helping the tempura batter to stick to the shrimp more easily.
Dip the shrimp by the tail into the batter mixture, lift it to let the excess batter drain for 1-2 seconds, then gently place it into the hot oil. Continue frying until all the shrimp are coated in batter and golden brown.
Remove the shrimp from the oil and let them drain. You can create spikes on the tempura by dipping your hand in the batter and drizzling it over the shrimp in the pan, keeping your hand about 30cm away from the oil.
Note:
Check the oil temperature with a thermometer to ensure it’s at the correct level. You can also check the oil temperature by dipping a wooden chopstick into the oil; when small bubbles form around the tip of the chopstick, the oil has reached 170-180°C. Always maintain a stable temperature of 170-180°C throughout the frying process.
To add a delicious flavor to tempura, you can add sesame oil in a ratio of 1:10 (1 part sesame oil, 10 parts cooking oil).
You should add just the right amount of oil as instructed; don’t add too much oil to the pot because the oil temperature will drop quickly, and the food will absorb too much oil.
The ingredients should not occupy more than half of the oil surface area at any given time.
5. Present and enjoy.
Peel the radish, grate it into strips, and squeeze out the excess water.
Scoop the Tentsuyu dipping sauce into small bowls for each serving (3-4 tablespoons per serving).
When eating, you put the radish into the dipping sauce, then dip the tempura shrimp in it and enjoy.
Note:
If you don’t use all of the sauce, you can store it in the refrigerator for up to 1-2 weeks.
With pre-fried tempura, if you don’t use it all, you can wrap individual portions of shrimp in paper towels, place them in airtight containers or plastic bags, and store them in the freezer for up to two weeks.
When ready to eat, preheat the oven to 200°C for 5 minutes until crispy on the outside and hot on the inside.
Making restaurant-quality Tempura Shrimp at home is much easier than many people think. By following this guide—from straightening the prawns to maintaining the perfect oil temperature— you can achieve that signature airy crunch right in your own kitchen.
Whether you are hosting a Japanese-themed dinner or simply craving a crispy snack, this Tempura Shrimp recipe is sure to impress your family and friends. Enjoy the golden, light, and delicious results of your hard work!
Read more: A4 Tempura Shrimp (4 pcs)
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