Tempura King Prawns Recipe

Prepare prawns

Peel shells from the prawns leaving the tail segment intact for presentation. Devein by making a shallow slit along the back and removing the intestinal tract. Rinse briefly and pat dry with paper towels.

Butterfly and straighten

Make a shallow cut along the underside (belly) of each prawn to remove the digestive tract fully if needed and to help them lay flat. To keep prawns straight during frying, make 3–4 small shallow slits across the underside of the body (not through the shell) or gently press along the prawn to relax the muscle. Lightly season both sides with the sea salt and white pepper and toss with 2 tablespoons cornstarch so they have a thin, dry coating to help the batter adhere. Chill briefly (5–10 minutes) while you prepare batter and oil.

Heat oil

Pour vegetable oil into a deep saucepan or deep-fryer to a depth of at least 3 inches (about 1 to 1.2 liters total). Heat to 175–180°C (350–360°F). If you don't have a thermometer, test with a small drop of batter — it should sizzle and rise immediately and become light golden in about 40–60 seconds.

Prepare cold liquids

Place the sparkling water (or very cold water) in a bowl with an ice cube if you're using still water; keep it chilled. Crack the cold egg into a small bowl and lightly beat it; you can use the whole egg or just the yolk for a slightly richer batter.

Mix dry ingredients

In a medium bowl, combine the sifted cake flour, 2 tablespoons cornstarch, rice flour (if using), baking soda, and 1/4 teaspoon salt. Stir briefly to distribute — do not overmix.

Make batter

Pour the cold liquid into the dry ingredients and add the beaten egg. Using chopsticks or a fork, mix gently with only a few strokes until barely combined. The batter should be slightly lumpy and somewhat thin — do not beat until smooth. Keep the batter over a bowl of ice or in a chilled area; cold batter yields the best tempura texture.

Dip prawns

Working quickly, dust each cornstarch-coated prawn lightly again if needed, then hold by the tail and dip into the batter until evenly coated. Let excess batter drip off for a second — you want a light, airy coating, not a thick paste.

First fry (optional blanch)

For extra light, non-greasy tempura, you can do a two-stage fry. Fry prawns briefly (about 20–30 seconds) until batter sets but not browned, remove and drain briefly on a rack or paper towel. This step is optional; you can also proceed directly to the final fry.

Final fry

Fry prawns in batches of 3–4 to avoid overcrowding. Maintain oil temperature at 175–180°C (350–360°F). Fry each prawn 1.5–2.5 minutes until the batter is crisp and pale golden. Flip once if needed for even browning. Do not overcook — prawns cook quickly.

Drain and rest

Remove prawns with a slotted spoon or spider and drain on a wire rack set over a baking sheet or on paper towels for a minute to remove excess oil. If you used the blanch step, fry a second time 30–45 seconds until crisp and lightly golden. Sprinkle lightly with matcha salt or flaky sea salt while hot, if using.

Serve

Arrange tempura prawns on a platter with lemon wedges and serve immediately with tentsuyu dipping sauce and optional grated daikon and sliced scallion on the side.

Make sauce

In a small saucepan combine 1/2 cup dashi, 2 tablespoons mirin, 2 tablespoons light soy sauce and 1/2 teaspoon sugar. Warm gently over low heat just until sugar dissolves — do not boil intensely. Remove from heat and let cool slightly.

Finish and serve

Ladle sauce into a small serving bowl and top with grated daikon and a few thin scallion slices if desired. Serve alongside tempura prawns for dipping.