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Restaurants›Hinode Japanese Steakhouse and Sushi›Shrimp Tempura Recipe

Shrimp Tempura Recipe

Name: Hinode Japanese Steakhouse and Sushis Shrimp Tempura Recipe
Cook time: 40 min
Total time: 40 min
Yield: 4 servings
Cuisine: Japanese
Ingredients: 12 pieces large shrimp (16-20 count), peeled leaving tails on, deveined; 1 tsp kosher salt; 0.25 tsp freshly ground black pepper; 0.25 cups all-purpose flour (for dusting); 1 cups ice-cold sparkling water or very cold water; 1 piece egg (large), chilled; 1 cups cake flour or low-protein all-purpose flour; 0.25 cups cornstarch; 0.25 tsp baking powder (optional, for extra lightness); 2 pieces ice cubes (optional, to keep batter cold); 2 cups neutral oil for deep frying (vegetable, canola, or peanut); 0.75 cups dashi stock (prepared, kombu/katsuobushi or instant); 0.25 cups light soy sauce (usukuchi or regular); 0.25 cups mirin; 0.5 tsp granulated sugar (optional, for slight sweetness); 2 tbs grated daikon (for serving); 1 tbsp thinly sliced scallions (for serving)

Inspired by Hinode Japanese Steakhouse and Sushi

Time40m

Serves4

Large shrimp individually battered and fried. Served with tempura dipping sauce

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Ingredients

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Shrimp

12 pieces large shrimp (16-20 count), peeled leaving tails on, deveined

1 tsp kosher salt

1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper

1/4 cups all-purpose flour (for dusting)

Tempura Batter

1 cups ice-cold sparkling water or very cold water

1 piece egg (large), chilled

1 cups cake flour or low-protein all-purpose flour

1/4 cups Cornstarch

1/4 tsp baking powder (optional, for extra lightness)

2 pieces ice cubes (optional, to keep batter cold)

Frying

2 cups neutral oil for deep frying (vegetable, canola, or peanut)

Tempura Dipping Sauce (Tentsuyu)

3/4 cups dashi stock (prepared, kombu/katsuobushi or instant)

1/4 cups light soy sauce (usukuchi or regular)

1/4 cups Mirin

1/2 tsp granulated sugar (optional, for slight sweetness)

2 tbs grated daikon (for serving)

1 tbsp thinly sliced scallions (for serving)

Method

Shrimp

Rinse shrimp under cold water and pat completely dry with paper towels. Leave tails intact for presentation.

Using a small sharp knife, make 3 shallow cuts along the underside (belly) of each shrimp to straighten them — do not cut through. Gently press to straighten so shrimp will remain straight while frying.

Season shrimp lightly with 1 tsp kosher salt and 1/4 tsp black pepper. Lightly dust each shrimp with 1/4 cup all-purpose flour, shaking off excess. The flour helps the batter adhere.

Tempura Batter

Keep all batter ingredients very cold — place the mixing bowl and sparkling water in the refrigerator or over an ice bath. If using ice cubes, keep them nearby.

In a chilled small bowl, beat 1 large chilled egg just until combined.

Pour 1 cup ice-cold sparkling water into the beaten egg and stir gently to combine. Do not overmix — small lumps are desirable for a light, airy batter.

In a separate bowl, sift together 1 cup cake flour, 1/4 cup cornstarch, and 1/4 tsp baking powder (if using). Make a well in the center.

Pour the cold egg-water mixture into the flour mixture. Using chopsticks or a fork, stir very briefly — just until flour streaks disappear. The batter should be lumpy and cold. If it warms, place the bowl over an ice bath and add 1-2 ice cubes to keep temperature low.

Do not let the batter sit; use immediately for best crispness.

Frying

Pour 2 cups of neutral oil into a heavy-bottomed pot or deep fryer. Heat to 350°F (175°C). If you don't have a thermometer, test by dropping a small bit of batter — it should sizzle immediately and rise to the surface.

Lightly re-dust the floured shrimp to remove excess flour, then holding each shrimp by the tail, dip into the batter to coat evenly. Let excess batter drip back into the bowl for a second, creating a thin, irregular coating.

Carefully lower shrimp into hot oil in small batches (3–4 shrimp at a time, depending on pot size) to avoid crowding. Fry until pale golden and crisp, about 2 to 3 minutes. Turn once if necessary.

Remove shrimp with a slotted spoon or wire skimmer and drain on a wire rack set over a baking sheet or on paper towels. Keep fried shrimp warm in a low oven (200°F / 95°C) while continuing to fry remaining shrimp.

Repeat with remaining shrimp. Maintain oil temperature around 330–350°F (165–175°C) — adjust heat as needed between batches.

Tempura Dipping Sauce (Tentsuyu)

In a small saucepan combine 3/4 cup prepared dashi, 1/4 cup light soy sauce, 1/4 cup mirin, and 1/2 tsp sugar. Warm gently over medium-low heat until just steaming; do not boil hard. Taste and adjust seasoning.

Remove from heat and transfer to a small serving bowl. Stir in grated daikon (2 tbsp) to the sauce or serve it on the side with the sauce, and sprinkle sliced scallions on top.

Serve sauce warm or at room temperature alongside the freshly fried shrimp.

To Serve

Arrange tempura shrimp on a platter lined with paper towel or a wire rack so they stay crisp. Serve immediately with tentsuyu dipping sauce and lemon wedges (optional).

For best texture, eat within 10–15 minutes of frying. Leftovers can be reheated briefly in a very hot oven (425°F / 220°C) for 3–4 minutes, but they will lose some crispness.