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Shrimp Tempura (appetizer) Recipe

Name: Sakeba Asian Pub & Grills Shrimp Tempura (Appetizer) Recipe
Cook time: 45 min
Total time: 45 min
Yield: 4 servings
Cuisine: Japanese
Ingredients: 12 each large shrimp, peeled and deveined (tails on); 1 tsp salt; 1 tsp freshly ground black pepper; 0.5 cups all-purpose flour (for dusting); 1 cup sweet potato, peeled and cut into 1/8-inch slices; 1 cup zucchini, cut into 1/4-inch rounds; 0.5 cup shiitake or button mushrooms, stems trimmed; 0.5 cup green beans, trimmed; 1 cups ice-cold sparkling water; 4 cubes ice; 1 cups all-purpose flour; 0.25 cups cornstarch; 1 each cold egg (large), lightly beaten; 0.5 tsp baking powder; 0.25 tsp salt; 0.5 cups dashi stock (or low-sodium chicken broth); 2 tbs light soy sauce; 2 tbs mirin; 0.5 tsp granulated sugar; 2 tbs grated daikon (optional); 4 cups neutral oil for deep frying (vegetable, canola or peanut); 2 each lemon wedges; 0.5 tsp flaky sea salt

Inspired by Sakeba Asian Pub & Grill

Time45m

Serves4

Crispy battered shrimp & vegetable

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Ingredients

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Shrimp

12 each large shrimp, peeled and deveined (tails on)

1 tsp Celtic sea salt

1 tsp freshly ground black pepper

1/2 cups all-purpose flour (for dusting)

Vegetables

1 cup sweet potato, peeled and cut into 1/8-inch slices

1 cup zucchini, cut into 1/4-inch rounds

1/2 cup shiitake or button mushrooms, stems trimmed

1/2 cup green beans, trimmed

Tempura Batter

1 cups ice-cold sparkling water

4 cubes ice

1 cups 00 bread flour

1/4 cups Cornstarch

1 each cold egg (large), lightly beaten

1/2 tsp Baking powder

1/4 tsp Celtic sea salt

Dipping Sauce (Tentsuyu)

1/2 cups dashi stock (or low-sodium chicken broth)

2 tbs light soy sauce

2 tbs Mirin

1/2 tsp granulated sugar

2 tbs grated daikon (optional)

Frying & Finish

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

2 each lemon wedges

1/2 tsp flaky sea salt

Method

Prep Shrimp & Vegetables

Prepare shrimp

Rinse shrimp and pat completely dry with paper towels. Make three shallow diagonal slits on the underside of each shrimp (toward the tail) to prevent curling. Lightly season both sides with 1 tsp salt and 1 tsp pepper. Dust shrimp lightly with 1/2 cup all-purpose flour and shake off excess; place on a tray in the refrigerator while you prepare the batter.

Prepare vegetables

Slice sweet potato into 1/8-inch (about 3 mm) rounds; slice zucchini into 1/4-inch rounds; trim green beans; and remove stems from mushrooms. Pat vegetables dry and arrange in a single layer on a tray. Keep chilled until ready to fry.

Make Tempura Batter

Place 1 cup ice-cold sparkling water in a mixing bowl with 4 ice cubes to keep it very cold. In a separate bowl, whisk together 1 cup all-purpose flour, 1/4 cup cornstarch, 1/2 tsp baking powder, and 1/4 tsp salt until combined.

Lightly beat 1 cold large egg then add it to the cold sparkling water and quickly stir to combine. Immediately pour the liquid into the dry ingredients and stir briefly with chopsticks or a fork — mix just until combined. The batter should be lumpy and slightly thin; do not overmix or develop gluten. Keep the batter bowl over another bowl filled with ice or place the batter bowl into a larger bowl with ice to keep it cold while frying.

Make Dipping Sauce

In a small saucepan, combine 1/2 cup dashi, 2 tbs light soy sauce, 2 tbs mirin, and 1/2 tsp sugar. Warm over medium heat until just shy of a simmer, stirring to dissolve the sugar. Remove from heat and let cool slightly. If using, stir in 2 tbs grated daikon and place in a small serving bowl.

Fry Shrimp & Vegetables

Pour about 3 to 4 cups neutral oil into a heavy-bottomed pot or deep skillet to reach a 2-3 inch depth. Heat oil to 350°F (175°C). If you don't have a thermometer, test with a small drop of batter; it should sizzle immediately and rise to the surface.

Working in small batches (2–3 pieces at a time for shrimp, 3–4 pieces for vegetables), dip the floured shrimp into the batter, letting excess drip off briefly, then carefully lower into the hot oil. For vegetables, dip each piece fully into batter before frying. Don’t overcrowd the pot; maintain oil temperature between 330–350°F (165–175°C).

Fry shrimp about 2 to 3 minutes until batter is crisp and shrimp are opaque and cooked through. Fry thin vegetables like green beans and zucchini 1.5 to 2 minutes; sweet potato slices 2.5 to 3 minutes; mushrooms 2 to 3 minutes. Turn pieces once if needed for even color. Remove with a slotted spoon or spider and drain on a wire rack set over a sheet pan or on paper towels.

When a batch finishes, season lightly with flaky sea salt while still hot. Repeat until all shrimp and vegetables are cooked.

Serve

Arrange warm tempura on a platter with lemon wedges. Serve immediately with tentsuyu dipping sauce. Leftovers will lose crispness quickly; for best texture serve within 10–15 minutes of frying.