Food

Easy Tempura Recipe

Create crispy, light tempura at home by following this simple recipe with easy to follow tips.
tempura-how-to-recipe
Photo by Farideh Sadeghin

Serves 6
Prep time: 25 minutes
Total time: 55 minutes

Ingredients

Serves 6
Prep time: 25 minutes
Total time: 55 minutes

Ingredients

for the yuzu soy sauce:
¾ teaspoon kudzu
2 tablespoons soy sauce
1 ½ tablespoons yuzu juice
1 ½ tablespoons yuzu kosho
3 tablespoons sake
¼ cup|60 ml mirin
2 tablespoons oligo syrup
¾ teaspoon fish sauce

for the tentsuyu:
½ cup|125 ml dashi stock
2 tablespoons mirin
2 tablespoons soy sauce
freshly grated and drained daikon
freshly grated ginger

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for the yuzu soy sauce:
¾ teaspoon kudzu
2 tablespoons soy sauce
1 ½ tablespoons yuzu juice
1 ½ tablespoons yuzu kosho
3 tablespoons sake
¼ cup|60 ml mirin
2 tablespoons oligo syrup
¾ teaspoon fish sauce

for the tentsuyu:
½ cup|125 ml dashi stock
2 tablespoons mirin
2 tablespoons soy sauce
freshly grated and drained daikon
freshly grated ginger

for the tempura:
canola oil, for frying
1 ⅓ cups|180 grams tempura mix
4 ounces|115 grams squid tubes, thinly sliced and dried
6 tail-on, peeled and deveined shrimp, dried
kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
1 ½ cups|195 grams all-purpose flour
6 shiitake mushrooms, stems removed
6 shiso leaves
4 asparagus spears, trimmed 
1 medium carrot, peeled and sliced into ¼-inch thick rounds
1 small sweet potato, peeled and sliced into ¼-inch thick rounds

Directions

for the tempura:
canola oil, for frying
1 ⅓ cups|180 grams tempura mix
4 ounces|115 grams squid tubes, thinly sliced and dried
6 tail-on, peeled and deveined shrimp, dried
kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
1 ½ cups|195 grams all-purpose flour
6 shiitake mushrooms, stems removed
6 shiso leaves
4 asparagus spears, trimmed 
1 medium carrot, peeled and sliced into ¼-inch thick rounds
1 small sweet potato, peeled and sliced into ¼-inch thick rounds

Directions

  1. Make the yuzu soy sauce: In a small bowl, whisk the kudzu with 2 teaspoons water. In a small saucepan, combine the soy sauce, yuzu juice, yuzu kosho, sake, mirin, oligo syrup, and fish sauce over medium-high. Bring to a simmer, then whisk in the kudzu slurry. Cook until thickened, about 1 minute. Set aside to cool until ready to use.
  2. Make the tentsuyu: In a small saucepan, whisk together the dashi, mirin, and soy and cook for 2 minutes over medium heat. Cool completely, then transfer to a small bowl. Dollop the daikon and ginger in the bowl when ready to serve.
  3. Heat 2-inches of oil in a large saucepan until a deep-fry thermometer reads 335°F. Heat the oven to 250°F.
  4. In a medium bowl, whisk together the batter with 1 cup|250 ml cold water until there are no dry spots, taking care not to overmix. Season the squid and shrimp all over with salt and pepper.
  5. Working in batches, dredge the squid in the flour, then the batter and fry, turning as needed, until golden, 3 to 4 minutes. Transfer to a sheet tray fitted with a wire rack, season with salt, and place in the oven to keep warm. (We also recommend just eating everything as you fry it so it’s super crispy while you eat.)
  6. Repeat dredging and frying in batches with the shrimp and the remaining vegetables, transferring everything to a sheet tray in the oven to keep warm while you continue frying everything else. The mushroom should take 2 to 3 minutes, the shiso, shrimp, and carrot about 4 minutes, 3 minutes for the asparagus, and about 4 to 5 minutes for the sweet potato.
  7. Once you’re done frying, transfer everything to a platter and serve with the dipping sauces.

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