Shrimp Tempura
Ingredients
For The Tentsuyu Sauce:
For the Shrimp Tempura:
- 16 to 20 extra-jumbo white shrimp, shells on and heads removed
- 7 cups vegetable oil, for frying
- 1 cup seltzer, cold
- 1 large egg, cold
- 1 cup all-purpose flour, sifted into a bowl and chilled
- ½ tsp. kosher salt
- 1 to 2 tbsp. cornstarch or potato starch, as needed
- Hot sauce, optional
Instructions
To prepare the tentsuyu sauce:
- In a small saucepan, combine the dashi, soy sauce, mirin and sugar.
- Bring to a boil, stirring continuously; about 2 minutes.
- Reduce to medium-low and simmer, stirring frequently, until the sugar is dissolved and the flavors have melded; 2 minutes more; remove from the heat.
To prepare the shrimp:
- Peel the shrimp, but leave the whole tails on.
- Using the tip of a wooden skewer or a toothpick, devein the back of the shrimp (see Tip).
- Using a sharp knife, place the shrimp as flat as possible on a cutting board and make 2 shallow crosswise slits on the underside of each one; this will help straighten the shrimp and prevent them from curling too much.
- Transfer the shrimp to a small bowl and rinse with cold water, drain, pat dry and line up on the cutting board.
- In a deep, heavy-bottomed skillet or a large Dutch oven, add enough oil to reach 2-inches up the sides of the vessel.
- Heat, over medium-high, until the temperature reaches 350°F.
To prepare the tempura batter:
- Meanwhile, in a small bowl, whisk the carbonated water with the egg until combined; skim off any foam.
- Add the salt to the chilled flour in the bowl and stir to combine.
- Slowly pour the egg mixture into the flour.
- Using chopsticks or a spatula, mix the batter until just combined; do not overmix; it is fine to still have lumps.
- Place the batter in the refrigerator, uncovered, until ready to use.
To assemble and cook:
- Using a fine mesh sieve, evenly dust the shrimp with cornstarch; no need to cover all sides.
- Place a wire rack on a sheet pan; if desired, line the sheet pan with parchment for easier cleanup.
- When the oil is ready, hold a shrimp by its tail, dip it in the batter and carefully place it in the hot oil.
- Do this in batches; about 3 shrimp at a time, so as to not overcrowd the pot.
- Fry, turning once, until golden brown; about 1 minute per side.
- Using tongs or chopsticks, remove the shrimp from the oil, transfer to the prepared wire rack, and continue frying the remaining.
- Skim off and discard any crumbs floating in the oil with a mesh sieve or slotted spoon and adjust the heat, as necessary, to maintain the temperature.
- Lightly squeeze and discard some of the liquid from the grated daikon radish.
- Divide the tentsuyu sauce into individual small bowls and add a little daikon to each bowl.
- Serve the shrimp tempura hot with the sauce.
Notes
For tempura, don’t devein the shrimp by cutting a slit on the backside; this causes it to curl. Instead, look for the dark vein under the second or third joint closest to the head. Slip a wooden skewer or toothpick under it and gently lift up the vein, like pulling a thread up and out with a needle. If the vein breaks, try again a couple of joints down closer to the tail.
