If you’re wondering what shrimp tempura is, and how it differs from fried shrimp, it’s a Japanese dish that consists of large shrimp that’s been coated in a light batter and deep-fried. It tends to be less crispy than shrimp fried in panko breadcrumbs.
When cooking shrimp tempura, you need to make sure the shrimp is as dry as possible prior to frying. This ensures that you don’t end up with soggy fried shrimp, but instead creates a delicious crispy, golden outer coating. As outlined in the recipe above, you should use a paper towel to dry the shrimp and remove any excess moisture before coating in the batter.
For the best results, use the largest shrimp that you can find in your grocery store. The larger the shrimp, the easier they are to handle with the batter, and you’ll get that desirable tender texture in your final shrimp tempura.
Batter Consistency and Frying Tips
Where the batter is concerned, there’s plenty to discover when it comes to the science behind Japanese tempura batter. You may have noticed the inclusion of sparkling water in the recipe above and this is a vital ingredient for your batter.
The bubbles lighten the batter, and the low temperature of the water helps the batter to stick to the shrimp. Some chefs will even add vodka to the water, to prevent an excess of gluten forming in the batter.
Gluten is vital to create the perfect batter, but too much of it creates a gluey effect that makes the fried shrimp undesirably dense. For this reason, you should also use the batter as soon as it’s made, as gluten will continue to form while you leave the batter to rest.
For frying, ensure the shrimp don’t spend too much time in the oil. Cook the shrimp quickly at a high temperature, for a tender texture and golden, crispy outer coating. Ideally shrimp tempura should be enjoyed as soon as it’s cooled, warm from the fryer.
And you should fry the shrimp tempura in batches, to prevent the oil from losing too much heat. Aim to fry no more than three at a time, to prepare the shrimp in batches for friends and family.
What to Serve with Shrimp Tempura
Shrimp tempura is classically served with a tasty, Japanese tempura dipping sauce. You can also experiment with different flavors, such as a sweet chili sauce or sweet and sour sauce. For a heartier dish, you can serve the shrimp tempura with a bowl of steamed rice or tasty udon noodles.
