Neisha Tempura Recipe

Prep shrimp

Rinse and pat dry the shrimp. If desired, make three shallow diagonal cuts on the underside of each shrimp to keep them straight when frying. Lightly season with a pinch of salt and pepper.

Prep vegetables

Wash and cut the vegetables into even, bite-sized pieces: sweet potato into 1/4" rounds, zucchini into rounds or half-moons, mushrooms halved, bell pepper into 1/2" strips, and small broccoli florets. Pat all vegetables dry so batter adheres.

Combine plum jam or plum sauce, rice vinegar, soy sauce, grated ginger, minced garlic, and red pepper flakes in a small bowl. Whisk until smooth. If the sauce is too thick, stir in up to 1 tablespoon of water to reach a dipping-sauce consistency. Taste and adjust: add more vinegar for brightness, more jam for sweetness, or a pinch more soy for salt. Set aside at room temperature.

Chill a medium mixing bowl in the freezer for 5 minutes. Combine the all-purpose flour, cornstarch, rice flour, baking powder, salt, and black pepper in the chilled bowl and whisk briefly to combine. Keep the dry mix cold.

In a separate chilled cup or bowl, lightly beat the egg. Add the ice-cold sparkling water and 2–3 ice cubes. Pour the egg-sparkling water mixture into the dry ingredients and stir very briefly with chopsticks or a fork — do not overmix. The batter should be lumpy and slightly thin; keep it cold by placing the bowl over a larger bowl of ice if needed.

Pour 1.5–2.0 cups of vegetable oil into a deep, heavy skillet or a wide saucepan to a depth of about 1.5 inches (enough for shallow-deep frying). Heat the oil over medium-high heat to 350°F (175°C). If you don’t have a thermometer, test by dropping a small bit of batter into the oil — it should sizzle and rise to the surface immediately with steady bubbling.

Coat and fry vegetables

One at a time, lightly dust vegetables with a thin layer of flour (optional) or tap them dry, then dip into the cold batter to coat. Shake off excess and carefully lower into hot oil. Fry in small batches (do not overcrowd) for 2–3 minutes for thin vegetables (zucchini, pepper, mushrooms) and 3–4 minutes for sweet potato and broccoli, or until batter is crisp and pale golden. Remove with a slotted spoon and drain on a wire rack or paper towels. Keep cooked pieces warm in a single layer in a 200°F (95°C) oven if making in batches.

Coat and fry shrimp

Dip each prepared shrimp into the batter to coat evenly, letting excess drip off. Carefully place shrimp into the hot oil and fry 1.5–2.5 minutes per side (total 2–3 minutes) until the batter is crisp and the shrimp turn opaque and pink. Do not overcook shrimp. Remove and drain on a wire rack or paper towels.

When all items are fried, quickly toss (optional) with a few drops of sesame oil for aroma and sprinkle lightly with sea salt or kosher salt to taste.

Arrange tempura shrimp and vegetables on a platter or individual plates with Neisha’s plum sauce in a small bowl for dipping. Serve immediately while hot and crisp. Estimated crispness is best within 10–15 minutes of frying.