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Crispy Shrimp Tempura Recipe

Crispy Shrimp Tempura Recipe with Quick Frying Method

I first made this crispy shrimp tempura after watching a street vendor in Tokyo toss shrimp into a cold, bubbly batter like it was nothing. It looked so simple, but tasted unbelievably light and crisp. After a few tries at home, I figured out that keeping every ingredient icy cold makes all the difference. This version keeps that same authentic Japanese texture, thin, golden, and crunchy, without being heavy. It’s one of those dishes that’s fun to make when you want something fancy but not complicated.
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Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 10 minutes
Total Time 30 minutes
Servings: 4
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: Japanese
Calories: 320
Ingredients Method Video Notes

Ingredients
  

  • 400 g large shrimp peeled and deveined (tails on)
  • 1 cup all-purpose flour
  • ½ cup cornstarch
  • 1 egg cold.
  • 1 cup ice-cold soda water or sparkling water
  • 1 teaspoon of baking powder
  • Oil for deep frying neutral oil like canola or sunflower
  • A pinch of salt

Method
 

  1. I learned a while ago that shrimp tempura gets way crispier when everything, even the flour, stays cold. Start by patting your shrimp dry with paper towels and keeping them chilled in the fridge.
  2. In a bowl, whisk together the flour, cornstarch, baking powder, and salt until evenly mixed. Then place the bowl in the fridge to keep the dry ingredients cold.
  3. In another bowl, lightly beat the egg and pour in the ice-cold soda water. The fizz helps create that light, bubbly batter.
  4. Gently add the cold flour mix to the liquid. Use chopsticks or a fork to stir a few times. Don't aim for smooth. Lumpy batter gives a better texture when fried.
  5. Heat the oil in a deep pan to about 170°C (340°F). Test by dropping a bit of batter; it should rise slowly and bubble right away.
  6. Lightly dust each shrimp with flour before dipping them in the batter. That way, the coating sticks better.
  7. Fry 3-4 shrimp at a time for about 1½ to 2 minutes until golden and crisp. Avoid overcrowding. It cools the oil and softens the coating.
  8. Remove and place on a wire rack or paper towel to drain. Keep the oil temperature steady between batches.
  9. Serve the shrimp immediately with the dipping sauce. My go-to is a simple mix of soy sauce, mirin, and grated daikon radish.
  10. Enjoy them while hot shrimp tempura loses its crisp fast, so it’s best fresh out of the fryer.

Video

Notes

  • Use freshly opened sparkling water for the lighter batter. The carbonation fades fast.
  • Don’t overmix. A few dry flour spots are fine and actually help create texture.
  • Avoid reusing oil more than once. Shrimp flavour can linger and affect future batches.
  • Eat right away; reheating ruins the crunch.