Crispy Shrimp Tempura: A Delightful Homemade Snack Recipe
Kid-Friendly Snack, Fried Delicacy, Recipe for Crispy Shrimp Tempura
You can’t talk about fried foods without mentioning shrimp tempura! My kids absolutely love shrimp tempura more than any other fried dish. I recently fried 60 peeled and deveined shrimp during the holidays, and they were gone in a flash! This time, I decided to use some frozen ‘white leg’ shrimp to make tempura. Frying them at home with clean oil resulted in shrimp tempura that was just as crispy and delicious as the peeled and deveined ones – the only difference was the shape. Today, I’ll share my secret to making wonderfully crispy and savory shrimp tempura!
Ingredients- 30 Shrimp for frying (fresh or frozen)
- 1.5 cups Tempura flour
- 1.5 cups Ice-cold water
- Frying oil, as needed
- 1 Tbsp Cooking sake (optional)
- Pinch of salt
Dry Coating- 0.5 cup Tempura flour (for dusting shrimp)
- 0.5 cup Tempura flour (for dusting shrimp)
Cooking Instructions
Step 1
If using frozen shrimp, thaw them completely under running water or in the refrigerator. Once thawed, trim the sharp ends of the tails, rinse the shrimp, and pat them thoroughly dry with paper towels. Excess moisture can prevent the coating from sticking and cause oil splatter.
Step 2
Sprinkle the dried shrimp with cooking sake (if using) and a pinch of salt. Gently toss to coat evenly. The sake helps to eliminate any fishy odor and adds subtle flavor, while the salt seasons the shrimp.
Step 3
Place the seasoned shrimp into a resealable plastic bag. Add about 0.5 cup of tempura flour. Seal the bag and gently shake it to coat each shrimp evenly with flour. This method is neat and ensures a light coating, which is key for crispiness.
Step 4
Now, let’s make the tempura batter, the secret to crispy shrimp! The perfect ratio is 1:1 tempura flour to ice-cold water. For about 30 shrimp, 1.5 cups of tempura flour and 1.5 cups of ice-cold water is a good starting point. You can increase the flour to up to 2 cups if you prefer a thicker batter.
Step 5
Using ice-cold water is crucial for achieving a crispy texture. Add the water to the tempura flour and stir gently with chopsticks until just combined – don’t overmix! Overmixing develops gluten, which makes the batter tough and less crispy. A few lumps are perfectly fine and even desirable.
Step 6
Pour a generous amount of frying oil into a deep pan or pot and heat it over medium-high heat. To check if the oil is ready, drop a small amount of batter into the oil. If it floats to the surface immediately and starts sizzling, the oil is at the right temperature (around 170-180°C or 340-350°F). If the oil is too cool, the shrimp will absorb too much oil and become soggy; if it’s too hot, the outside will burn before the inside cooks.
Step 7
Dip the floured shrimp into the prepared tempura batter, letting any excess drip off slightly. Carefully place the battered shrimp into the preheated oil. Frying them immediately after coating ensures maximum crispiness. Fry until golden brown and crispy.
Step 8
Avoid overcrowding the pot. Frying too many shrimp at once will lower the oil temperature, resulting in soggy tempura. Fry the shrimp in batches, allowing the oil to maintain its heat. Shrimp cook quickly, so they don’t need to be fried twice.
Step 9
Once golden and crispy, remove the shrimp tempura from the oil and place them on a wire rack lined with paper towels to drain excess oil and cool slightly. While a double-coating can make them look even more appealing, this simpler method yields wonderfully crispy and delicious results, especially for kids.
Step 10
Voilà! Your perfectly crispy and savory shrimp tempura is ready. Fried at home with clean oil, they boast a beautiful golden color and delicious taste. They’re tasty enough to eat plain, but dipping them in a sweet and tangy soy sauce mixture or ketchup adds another layer of flavor.
Step 11
The satisfying crunch of these homemade shrimp tempura is truly delightful. Making tempura is much simpler than you might think! Just remember the 1:1 ratio of tempura flour to ice-cold water for a consistently crispy result. If they happen to lose their crispiness, a quick blast in the air fryer can revive them. They say you can even fry shoes and they’ll taste good – so imagine how delicious shrimp tempura must be! Enjoy making and savoring these delights!
