JapaneseStarter

Tempura

Name: Tempura
Prep time: 20 min
Total time: 35 min
Yield: 4
Cuisine: Japanese
Ingredients: 1 cup all-purpose flour; 1/4 cup cornstarch; 1 large egg yolk; 1 cup ice-cold sparkling water; 1/2 tsp salt; 8 large shrimp, peeled and deveined; 1 small eggplant, sliced into rounds; 1 sweet potato, sliced into rounds; 8 shiitake mushrooms, stems removed; 1 bunch asparagus, trimmed; Vegetable oil for deep frying; Tentsuyu dipping sauce for serving; Grated daikon radish for garnish

Crispy, delicate tempura batter transforms shrimp and vegetables into irresistible golden morsels with an airy, shattering crust. The secret is ice-cold sparkling water that creates impossibly light pockets of crunch, while the vegetables stay tender inside. Perfect as an elegant starter or impressive appetizer that feels restaurant-quality yet comes together in minutes.

Prep

20 minutes

Total

35 minutes

Serves

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Ingredients

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Instructions

1
Heat oil to 340°F (170°C) in a deep pot or fryer.
2
In a bowl, lightly whisk egg yolk with ice-cold sparkling water.
3
Sift flour, cornstarch, and salt together, then add to liquid ingredients.
4
Mix batter very lightly with chopsticks, leaving it lumpy—do not overmix.
5
Keep batter cold by placing bowl over ice.
6
Pat all ingredients completely dry with paper towels.
7
Dip shrimp and vegetables one at a time into batter, allowing excess to drip off.
8
Fry in small batches for 2–3 minutes until light golden and crispy.
9
Remove with slotted spoon and drain on wire rack.
10
Serve immediately with tentsuyu sauce and grated daikon radish.