How To Make Tempura At Home • Tasty

all-purpose flour

🥗Healthier: whole wheat flour

💰Cheaper: cake flour

Whole wheat flour adds fiber while cake flour can be more economical.

cornstarch

💰Cheaper: potato starch

Potato starch provides a similar crispiness at a lower cost.

ice water

Ice water is essential for achieving the desired batter texture.

egg

🥗Healthier: flaxseed meal

💰Cheaper: aquafaba

Flaxseed meal or aquafaba can serve as a vegan alternative.

Introduce the recipe for making tempura at home.

Explain that good tempura should be crispy, not soggy or fluffy.

For the batter, use cake flour, ice cold water, and an egg. Emphasize that cake flour has less protein to create lighter batter.

Ensure all ingredients are cold, but do not put ice in the water to avoid temperature differences.

Mix the flour and water using four chopsticks to avoid over mixing the batter.

Prep the shrimp by cutting the tip of the tail and scraping out any dirt and water inside.

Make small incisions on both sides of the shrimp to prevent curling during cooking.

Prep the eggplant by cutting off the stem and slicing it into 5 to 6 half-inch thick slices to shorten frying time.

Lightly dust the eggplant with flour before dipping it in the batter, ensuring to dust off excess flour for better coating.

When frying thick vegetables like kabocha squash, fry at 320°F to ensure they cook through.

Hold the tempura above the oil to drain off excess oil after frying, then transfer to a cooling rack.

For eggplant, coat it in flour lightly and dip it in the tempura batter, frying at 340°F for 2 to 3 minutes for shrimp.

Raise the oil temperature to 350°F before adding the shrimp. Drizzle batter over the shrimp while frying to create extra crunch.

Serve the tempura immediately with a dipping sauce or seasoned salt like matcha salt.

Cooking Techniques

Equipment Needed

Spice Level:

Allergens