Tempura

Name: Tempura
Prep time: 45 min
Cook time: 30 min
Yield: 2 to 4 servings
Cuisine: Japanese Menu
Ingredients: Cake Flour — 100 g; Water — 180 ml; Egg — 1 large; Mirin — 100 ml; Soy Sauce — 100 ml; Dashi — 400 ml; Daikon Radish — To taste; Eggplant — To taste; Carrot — To taste; Broccoli — To taste; Kabocha Squash — To taste; Shiitake Mushrooms — To taste; Prawns — To taste

This authentic Japanese tempura features a selection of lightly battered, golden-crispy vegetables and succulent prawns, all fried to an airy, delicate perfection that highlights their natural freshness. Paired with a warm, umami-rich dipping sauce and freshly grated daikon radish, this sophisticated classic is a masterclass in textures, offering a beautifully light, non-greasy finish that transforms simple, high-quality ingredients into an elegant and impressive culinary experience.

Cuisines

Cooking Instructions

Preparation: 45 minutes
Cooking: 30 minutes

Servings: 2 to 4

Notes:

The key to achieving light, crispy tempura is minimising gluten formation; use cold cake flour, keep all ingredients chilled in the fridge before mixing, and stir the batter only until just combined, leaving it lumpy.

Avoid using high-moisture vegetables like cucumber or tomato, as they quickly turn the tempura coating soggy; opt for drier, firmer vegetables like eggplant, kabocha squash, and carrots.

For perfect prawns, clean the tail thoroughly to remove moisture and dirt, as trapped water will cause hot oil to splatter dangerously during frying and prevent a crisp finish.

Dredging ingredients lightly in cake flour before dipping them into the batter helps the tempura coating adhere evenly; shake off all excess flour to prevent a heavy, doughy texture.

Maintaining the frying oil temperature between 160 C and 170 C is crucial; if the temperature drops too low, the tempura will absorb excess oil, while high heat will burn the coating before the centre is cooked.

Prepare Ingredients
Slice vegetables into uniform 5 mm pieces, clean the prawns by removing the shell and vein, and score the belly to prevent them from curling during frying.

Prepare Sauce
Simmer dashi, mirin, and soy sauce together for 2 minutes to evaporate the alcohol, then set aside and reheat just before serving with grated daikon.

Make Batter
Sieve the cake flour, combine with a cold egg and water, mixing gently until just combined with visible lumps, ensuring the batter stays cold throughout the process.

Fry Tempura
Coat prepared ingredients in light flour, dip into the batter, and deep-fry in 160 C to 170 C oil until golden and crisp, ensuring not to overcrowd the pot.

Drain and Serve
Remove the fried items to a cooling rack, allow excess oil to drain, and arrange attractively on a plate to serve immediately with the warm dipping sauce and daikon.