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Tempura

How to make crispy tempura taught by a pro. We'll explain in detail how to deliciously fry tempura at home, which often goes wrong, without using commercial tempura flour. From proper preparation of shrimp and vegetables to making the batter and frying, you'll become a tempura master with this.

Steps

In a bowl, combine 180ml dashi stock, 2 tbsp soy sauce, and 2 tbsp mirin to make tentsuyu (tempura dipping sauce). [This is the secret!] Using sake instead of cooking wine, and genuine mirin instead of mirin-style seasoning, will make the dish more delicious.
🕒 01:56
Peel the thawed shrimp, leaving only the shell at the tip of the tail. Remove the sharp point of the tail.
🕒 02:29
Make a diagonal cut at the tip of the tail, spread it open, and squeeze out the water inside. [This is the secret!] This water can cause the shrimp to burst when fried, so be sure to remove it.
🕒 03:17
Remove the vein from the shrimp.
🕒 03:42
With the tail to the left, make about 4 diagonal cuts into the body of the shrimp, about one-third of the way through.
🕒 03:55
Lightly press down on the shrimp to cut the muscle fibers, allowing it to open. If you feel a "popping" sensation, the fibers have been cut. [This is the secret!] This prevents the shrimp from curling when fried.
🕒 04:26
Thinly slice the sweet potato and soak it in water for about 5 minutes.
🕒 04:54
Peel the tough lower part of the asparagus about halfway up and cut it to fit in the pot.
🕒 05:07
Remove the stems from the shiitake mushrooms and make decorative cuts.
🕒 05:22
Remove the stem from the eggplant, cut it in half, make diagonal slits, and create a fan shape with the tip still attached.
🕒 05:52
Remove the seeds from the pumpkin. If the skin is tough, peel some of it off. Cut into slices about 5mm thick. Cut larger pieces in half.
🕒 06:47
Pierce the sweet pepper with a skewer or your fingernail to make a hole. [This is the secret!] There is a sac-like part inside that can explode when fried, so be sure to make a hole to avoid danger.
🕒 07:08
In a chilled bowl, combine 300ml cold water, 1 egg, and 180g all-purpose flour. Mix with a cross-shaped motion without developing gluten. Stop mixing when there are still a few lumps. [This is the secret!] Do not overmix to avoid generating gluten. It should be slightly watery.
🕒 07:51
Prepare the flour for dusting.
🕒 08:47
Dust the shrimp with flour, then coat generously with batter before placing in frying oil heated to 160 degrees Celsius.
🕒 09:06
Place the battered shrimp into the frying oil, tilting it from front to back. Use a spoon to pour some of the oil onto the edges of the batter. Do not overcrowd the pan.
🕒 09:22
Coat the sweet potato and pumpkin with a slightly thicker batter and add them to the frying oil. [This is the secret!] Frying for a longer time will bring out their sweetness.
🕒 10:31
Flip them over when the edges start to firm up. Once the batter has solidified, submerge them in the frying oil. [This is the secret!] This will make the batter crispy.
🕒 10:54
When the fried sweet potato and pumpkin are done, drain them by holding them upright for 2-3 seconds before placing them on a rack, also standing them up.
🕒 11:25
Coat the eggplant with batter, lightly shake off excess, and place in the frying oil.
🕒 11:51
Dust the back of the shiso leaves with flour, apply a little batter to the back only, and submerge in the frying oil.
🕒 12:17
Check the doneness of the sweet potato and pumpkin by inserting a toothpick; it should slide through easily.
🕒 12:55
Coat the maitake mushrooms generously with batter and add them to the frying oil.
🕒 13:40
Fry the eggplant after coating it generously with batter.
🕒 13:56
Fry the shiitake mushrooms, turning them 2-3 times, ensuring they are well-coated with batter.
🕒 14:07
Fry the sweet peppers while adding some of the fried batter bits.
🕒 14:47
They are done when the batter has solidified and the bubbling subsides. Remove and drain the oil by standing them upright.
🕒 15:09
Use the sweet potato and pumpkin as a base for plating, then stand the shrimp on top.
🕒 15:43