Ebi Recipe

Rinse shrimp, then pat dry. Leave tails intact. Make 4 shallow slits along the underside of each shrimp (from head end toward tail) and gently straighten to prevent curling when frying. The slits should not cut through the shell if tails are on.

In a small bowl, dissolve kosher salt, sugar and baking soda (if using) into 1 cup cold water. Submerge the shrimp in the solution and refrigerate for 10 minutes to season and firm the flesh. After 10 minutes, drain and thoroughly pat shrimp dry with paper towels.

Lightly dust the shrimp with 1–2 teaspoons of cornstarch (from the coating section). Shake off excess. This helps the batter cling.

Keep all batter ingredients very cold. Place 1 cup ice-cold water in a chilled bowl and add 4 ice cubes (remove ice before mixing if using measured water volume). Whisk 1 large egg lightly in a separate small bowl and add to the cold water.

In a separate bowl, sift together 1 cup all-purpose flour, 1/4 cup rice flour (or cornstarch), 1/4 tsp baking powder and 1/4 tsp salt.

Just before frying, pour the dry ingredients into the cold liquid and gently combine with chopsticks or a fork. Do not overmix — small lumps are fine. If using, substitute up to 1/4 cup of the water with ice-cold club soda for extra lightness. The batter should be thin, slightly runny and cold.

Keep the batter over a bowl of ice to stay cold while you heat the oil and fry in batches.

Pour neutral oil into a deep, heavy pot or deep-fryer to a depth of about 2–3 inches (enough for shrimp to float). Heat oil to 350°F–360°F (175°C–182°C). If you don't have a thermometer, test by dropping a small bit of batter: it should sizzle and rise immediately without browning instantly.

Working in small batches (2–4 shrimp at a time depending on pot size), hold a shrimp by the tail, dip body into batter allowing excess to drip off briefly, then carefully lower into hot oil. Do not overcrowd; maintain oil temperature between batches.

Fry shrimp 2.5–3.5 minutes until batter is pale golden and crisp. Larger shrimp may need up to 4 minutes. Turn once gently if needed. Remove with a slotted spoon or spider and drain on a wire rack set over a sheet pan or on paper towels.

If desired, increase oil temperature to 370°F (188°C) for 20–30 seconds at the end of frying each batch to remove excess oil and make the coating crisper.

Serve immediately with lemon wedges and dipping sauce. For best texture, do not cover; serve hot and crisp.

Combine 1 cup dashi, 3 tablespoons soy sauce, 3 tablespoons mirin and 1 teaspoon sugar in a small saucepan. Bring to a gentle simmer over medium heat, stirring until sugar dissolves. Remove from heat and let cool slightly.

Strain if needed and serve warm or at room temperature with grated daikon on the side for guests to add to their bowls of sauce.