Shrimp Tempura

Crispy, delicate Japanese fried shrimp with a light, airy batter. Serve hot with dipping sauce for an elegant appetizer or light meal.

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Ingredients

1
Pat the shrimp dry with paper towels by pressing each shrimp between two folded towels until no moisture beads on the surface. This helps the batter stick.
2
Pour the flour, cornstarch, and salt into a large mixing bowl. Whisk them together until evenly combined and no white streaks of flour remain.
3
Pour the cold water into the flour mixture and whisk until the batter looks like thin pancake batter — no lumps visible and the consistency pours easily.
4
Fill a heavy pot or deep skillet with 3 inches of oil and heat over medium-high heat until the oil shimmers and a wooden chopstick inserted in it releases tiny bubbles immediately, about 5 minutes.
5
Grip one shrimp by its tail, dip it into the batter until fully coated, then carefully lay it away from you into the hot oil. Repeat with 4 more shrimp, working in small batches so the pan is not crowded.
6
Fry the shrimp undisturbed for 90 seconds until the bottom turns the color of light honey and no longer sticks to the bottom of the pot.
7
Flip each shrimp with chopsticks or a fork and fry for another 60 to 90 seconds until the entire coating is the color of warm honey and looks crispy and blistered.
8
Use a slotted spoon to lift each shrimp from the oil and place it on a plate lined with paper towels. Repeat steps 5–7 with the remaining 7 shrimp in two more batches.
9
Serve the shrimp hot on a clean plate, drizzled lightly with salt if desired.

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