Crisp Japanese Tempura
Crisp tempura depends on three things: very cold water, deliberate under-mixing that leaves visible lumps of flour, and oil at exactly 180°C. Over-mixing forms gluten, and the batter comes out heavy rather than light and translucent.
- Prep
- 20 min
- Cook
- 15 min
- Total
- 35 min
- Calories
- 310
Photo: Zheng Zhou — CC BY-SA 4.0 · Wikimedia Commons
Tempura is not ordinary deep frying — it is a complete technique. The difference between Japanese restaurant tempura and the heavy version people make at home is decided in about thirty seconds of mixing.
Method
-
1
Prepare the prawns
Peel the prawns leaving the tails on. Make three small cuts along the underside and press gently with the heel of your hand until they straighten. Those cuts stop the prawn curling as it fries — a curled prawn cooks unevenly. Pat them thoroughly dry.
-
2
Prepare the vegetables
Cut the aubergine and sweet potato into slices exactly half a centimetre thick — thicker will not cook through and thinner will burn. Prick the green peppers with a fork so steam can escape. Dry everything completely.
-
3
Heat the oil
Heat the oil to 180°C. Without a thermometer: drop in a little batter — if it sinks and rises straight back up the oil is ready; if it stays down it is too cool, and if it sizzles on the surface it is too hot.
-
4
Mix the batter
This is the critical step. Whisk the cold egg with the iced water, then add the flour and cornflour all at once and stir with chopsticks or a fork for five strokes only. Lumps of flour must still be visible on the surface — a smooth batter means gluten has formed and the tempura will be heavy.
-
5
Fry the vegetables first
Dip the vegetable slices in the batter, let the excess drip off, and lower them into the oil. Fry no more than 4–5 pieces at a time so the oil does not cool. Two to three minutes until pale golden — tempura is never deep brown.
-
6
Fry the prawns and serve
Hold each prawn by the tail, dip it up to the tail and lower it slowly into the oil. Fry two minutes only. Drain on a rack, not paper — paper traps steam and destroys the crispness. Warm the dashi, soy and mirin and serve as a dipping sauce alongside, immediately.
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Tips that actually matter
- Make the batter at the moment of frying, not before — after 10 minutes gluten forms and the crispness is gone.
- Sit the batter bowl inside a larger bowl of ice — it must stay cold throughout the frying.
- A tablespoon of vodka in place of a tablespoon of water reduces gluten formation and adds crispness (it evaporates entirely).
- Flick a little batter into the oil around the pieces — that makes the crisp 'tenkasu' bits.
People also ask
Why is my tempura heavy?
You mixed the batter too much and formed gluten. Five strokes with chopsticks or a fork is all it takes, and lumps of flour should still be visible. The water must be iced too — warmth speeds gluten formation.
Why do my prawns curl?
The abdominal muscles contract in the heat. Make three small cuts along the underside and press gently with the heel of your hand until the prawn straightens — it will then stay straight and cook evenly.
Which oil should I use?
A neutral oil with a high smoke point such as sunflower or corn. In Japan a small proportion of sesame oil is added for flavour. Extra virgin olive oil is unsuitable — its smoke point is too low.
How do I know the oil is at 180°C?
Drop in a little batter: if it sinks and returns to the surface straight away, it is ready. If it stays at the bottom the oil is too cool; if it sizzles on the surface without sinking it is too hot.
Cook mode
Crisp Japanese Tempura
-
1
Prepare the prawns
Peel the prawns leaving the tails on. Make three small cuts along the underside and press gently with the heel of your hand until they straighten. Those cuts stop the prawn curling as it fries — a curled prawn cooks unevenly. Pat them thoroughly dry.
-
2
Prepare the vegetables
Cut the aubergine and sweet potato into slices exactly half a centimetre thick — thicker will not cook through and thinner will burn. Prick the green peppers with a fork so steam can escape. Dry everything completely.
-
3
Heat the oil
Heat the oil to 180°C. Without a thermometer: drop in a little batter — if it sinks and rises straight back up the oil is ready; if it stays down it is too cool, and if it sizzles on the surface it is too hot.
-
4
Mix the batter
This is the critical step. Whisk the cold egg with the iced water, then add the flour and cornflour all at once and stir with chopsticks or a fork for five strokes only. Lumps of flour must still be visible on the surface — a smooth batter means gluten has formed and the tempura will be heavy.
-
5
Fry the vegetables first
Dip the vegetable slices in the batter, let the excess drip off, and lower them into the oil. Fry no more than 4–5 pieces at a time so the oil does not cool. Two to three minutes until pale golden — tempura is never deep brown.
-
6
Fry the prawns and serve
Hold each prawn by the tail, dip it up to the tail and lower it slowly into the oil. Fry two minutes only. Drain on a rack, not paper — paper traps steam and destroys the crispness. Warm the dashi, soy and mirin and serve as a dipping sauce alongside, immediately.
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