Name: Crispy Prawn & Vegetable Tempura
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 20 min
Total time: 30 min
Cuisine: Japanese
Ingredients: 4 prawns; 4 slices purple sweet potato; 2 slices lotus root (renkon); 2 shiso leaves; 2 shiitake mushrooms; 1 chikuwa fish cake (optional; substitute green beans or shishito peppers); Oil for deep frying; 50 g (½ cup) plain flour; 75 ml (⅓ cup) ice-cold water; 15 ml (1 tbsp) Kewpie mayonnaise; 240 ml (1 cup) water; 2 g (½ tbsp) dashi powder; 60 ml (¼ cup) mirin; 60 ml (¼ cup) soy sauce; 60 ml (¼ cup) grated daikon

Description

Japanese Tempura is the perfect balance of light, crispy batter and tender prawns or vegetables inside. With a simple three-ingredient batter—flour, ice-cold water, and a touch of mayonnaise—you can fry up restaurant-quality tempura at home in under 30 minutes. Paired with classic tentsuyu dipping sauce, it’s a versatile and crave-worthy dish that works for both casual dinners and special occasions.

Ingredients

Scale

For the Tempura:

4 prawns
4 slices purple sweet potato
2 slices lotus root (renkon)
2 shiso leaves
2 shiitake mushrooms
1 chikuwa fish cake (optional; substitute green beans or shishito peppers)
Oil for deep frying

For the Batter:

50 g (½ cup) plain flour
75 ml (⅓ cup) ice-cold water
15 ml (1 tbsp) Kewpie mayonnaise

For Tentsuyu Dipping Sauce:

240 ml (1 cup) water
2 g (½ tbsp) dashi powder
60 ml (¼ cup) mirin
60 ml (¼ cup) soy sauce
60 ml (¼ cup) grated daikon

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Instructions

Prepare ingredients: Clean and peel prawns. Slice vegetables thinly so they cook quickly. Pat everything dry to avoid oil splatter.
Make the batter: In a chilled bowl, gently whisk flour, ice-cold water, and mayonnaise. Do not overmix—lumps are fine. Keep batter cold until ready to use.
Heat the oil: Heat oil in a deep pan to 180°C (355°F). Test with chopsticks; tiny bubbles mean it’s ready.
Dip & fry: Coat prawns and vegetables lightly in batter. Fry in small batches for 2–3 minutes until golden and crisp. A light vibration through chopsticks indicates doneness.
Drain: Transfer to paper towels to absorb excess oil.
Make dipping sauce: In a small saucepan, boil mirin for 1 minute. Add water, soy sauce, and dashi powder. Simmer briefly, remove from heat, and stir in grated daikon.
Serve: Enjoy immediately while hot and crispy with dipping sauce.

Notes

Cold batter creates lighter, crispier coating—keep it chilled.

Don’t overmix batter; it should be lumpy.

Fry in small batches to maintain oil temperature.

Tempura is best eaten immediately.

For gluten-free tempura, substitute rice flour for plain flour.

Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 20 minutes
Category: Entrées
Method: Deep-Fry
Cuisine: Japanese