Lightly Tempura Battered Appetizer Recipe

Prepare shrimp

Rinse shrimp under cold water, pat thoroughly dry with paper towels. Make three shallow diagonal slits on the underside of each shrimp (toward the tail) to prevent curling during frying. Season shrimp lightly with 1 tsp fine sea salt, 1/2 tsp black pepper, and 1 tbsp lemon juice. Let sit 5 minutes while preparing batter.

Keep ingredients cold

Place the bowl you'll mix the batter in on top of a larger bowl filled with ice, or set ice cubes nearby. Very cold batter creates a lighter, crisper tempura crust.

Mix dry ingredients

In a medium bowl, whisk together 3 tbsp all-purpose flour, 2 tbsp cake flour (or extra all-purpose), 2 tbsp cornstarch, and 1/4 tsp salt until evenly combined.

Combine wet ingredients

In a separate small bowl, lightly beat 1 large egg. Add 3 oz ice-cold seltzer (sparkling water) and 1 oz additional cold soda water; stir gently to combine. The mixture should be cold and slightly fizzy.

Make batter

Quickly pour the cold wet mixture into the dry ingredients and fold with chopsticks or a fork just until combined. Do not overmix — small lumps are fine. If batter is too thick to lightly coat shrimp, add up to 1 tbsp cold water, one teaspoon at a time. Keep the batter bowl over ice until ready to use.

Heat oil

Pour about 3 cups neutral oil into a deep, heavy pot or fryer. Heat oil to 350°F (175°C). If you don't have a thermometer, test by dropping a pinch of batter into the oil — it should sizzle and rise slowly, turning golden in about 40–50 seconds.

Dry-dust shrimp

Place 3 tbsp rice flour (or cornstarch) on a plate. Lightly dust each seasoned shrimp in the rice flour and shake off excess — this helps the batter cling and yields a lighter crust.

Batter and fry

Working in small batches (2–4 shrimp depending on pot size), dip each dusted shrimp into the cold tempura batter, allowing excess to drip off briefly. Gently lower shrimp into the hot oil, spacing them so pieces do not touch. Fry until batter is pale golden and shrimp are cooked through, about 2 to 3 minutes per batch (time may vary by shrimp size). Turn once if necessary to cook evenly.

Drain

Using a slotted spoon or spider skimmer, transfer fried shrimp to a wire rack set over a baking sheet or to a plate lined with paper towels to drain. Do not stack fried shrimp; keep in a single layer to maintain crispness. If frying additional batches, keep finished shrimp in a warm (200°F/95°C) oven briefly to hold without softening, or serve immediately.

Make sauce

Combine 2 tbsp soy sauce, 1 tbsp mirin (or rice vinegar), and 3 tbsp warm dashi or low-sodium chicken stock in a small bowl. Stir in grated daikon if using and garnish with sliced scallion. Serve alongside hot tempura shrimp.