Spoon Simple
Tempura
Lightly battered and deep-fried shrimp and seasonal vegetables with a delicate, lacy crust. Served with tentsuyu dipping sauce — the art of Japanese frying at its most elegant.
Prep 20 min
Cook 25 min
Total 45 min
Serves 4
Ingredients
Step 1 — Make tentsuyu dipping sauce
- 1 cup dashi
- ¼ cup soy sauce
- ¼ cup mirin
- Grated daikon radish
- Grated fresh ginger
Step 2 — Prepare vegetables and shrimp
- 12 large shrimp (peeled, deveined, tails on)
- 1 sweet potato (sliced ¼ inch)
- 1 Japanese eggplant (sliced)
- 1 bell pepper (cut into strips)
- 4 shiitake mushrooms
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 1 large egg (cold)
- 1 cup ice-cold water
- Vegetable oil (for frying)
Instructions
- 1
Make the dipping sauce
Combine dashi, soy sauce, and mirin in a small saucepan. Bring to a simmer, then cool. Serve in small bowls with grated daikon and ginger on the side.
- 2
Prepare the batter
Heat oil to 350°F. Lightly dust shrimp and vegetables with flour. Whisk egg and ice water, then add flour — mix briefly with chopsticks; the batter should be lumpy and cold. Do not overmix.
- 3
Fry until crisp
Dip ingredients in batter and fry in batches 2–3 minutes until pale golden and crisp — tempura should be light in color, not dark brown. Drain on a wire rack. Serve immediately with tentsuyu.
Nutrition per serving: 340 cal · 22g protein · 32g carbs · 14g fat · 3g fiber
For informational purposes only. Not medical or dietary advice. Verify ingredients for allergens, cooking times, and safe internal temperatures before serving.
