Tempura Shrimp Recipe

Prepare and season

Rinse shrimp and pat completely dry with paper towels. Make 3 shallow diagonal slits in the underside of each shrimp to help them stay straight when frying. Lightly season both sides with 1 tsp kosher salt and 1/2 tsp black pepper.

Dust each shrimp lightly with 2 tablespoons cornstarch, shaking off excess. Place shrimp on a tray and keep chilled while you make the batter — dry shrimp helps the batter adhere.

Chill ingredients

Place a mixing bowl in the freezer for 5 minutes and keep the ice water and ice cubes in the refrigerator until ready. Cold batter is key to a light, crispy texture.

Mix batter

In the chilled bowl, combine 1 cup ice water (reserve the ice cubes to keep temperature cold), 1 lightly beaten egg, and 1/4 cup ice cold club soda (optional). Quickly sift in 1 cup all-purpose flour, 1/4 cup rice flour, 1/4 tsp baking soda and 1/4 tsp salt. Using chopsticks or a fork, mix gently with just a few strokes — the batter should be lumpy and slightly thin. Do not overmix; small lumps and a few visible streaks of flour are desirable.

Return the bowl to an ice bath or keep it over the reserved ice cubes to maintain temperature while frying. Batter should be cold and runny but able to coat the shrimp lightly.

Heat oil

Pour about 4 cups neutral oil into a deep heavy pot or deep fryer. Heat oil to 350°F (175°C). If you don't have a thermometer, drop a little batter into oil — it should sizzle and rise immediately, forming bubbles and browning in about 30–45 seconds.

Fry shrimp

Working in small batches (3–4 shrimp at a time to avoid crowding), dip each cornstarch-dusted shrimp into the cold batter, letting excess drip off, then gently lower into the hot oil. Fry until batter is pale golden and shrimp are cooked through, about 2 to 3 minutes per batch depending on shrimp size. Turn once if necessary for even color.

Use a slotted spoon or spider to remove shrimp and transfer to a wire rack set over a baking sheet or paper towels to drain. Keep fried shrimp warm in a 200°F (95°C) oven while finishing remaining batches to maintain crispness. If oil temperature drops, allow it to return to 350°F before next batch.

Make sauce

In a small saucepan, combine 3/4 cup dashi, 2 tbsp mirin, 2 tbsp soy sauce and 1/2 tsp sugar. Warm gently over medium-low heat until sugar dissolves, then remove from heat. Do not boil. Let cool slightly; serve warm or at room temperature with grated daikon on the side.

Arrange tempura shrimp on a platter lined with paper or a rack to preserve crispness. Serve immediately with tentsuyu dipping sauce, lemon wedges and sliced scallions. Tempura is best eaten fresh; leftover shrimp will lose crispness.