Tempura or shrimp tempura is a Japanese dish consisting of shelled shrimps, dipped in batter and deep fried. This is, I think, one of the most favorite Japanese food of Filipinos. Aside from shrimps, you can also make vegetable tempura to decorate or to make it more appetizing. Just slice some eggplants and carrots into thick strips, get some whole string beans then dip it in tempura batter then deep fry it.
When cooking shrimps, you will notice that the shrimps curl up. The technique for the shrimp to stay straight is by making a crosswise slit in the inner side of the shrimp. Of course a small piece of bamboo stick will work too by skewing so the shrimp will not curl. Just don’t for get to remove it after cooking.
- ½ cup All-purpose Flour
- ½ cup Cornstarch
- 1 tsp Baking Powder
- 1 tsp Garlic Powder (optional)
- 1 tsp Onion Powder (optional)
- ½ tsp Salt
- ½ tsp Pepper
- 1 cup ICE COLD Water
- DREDGING
- 2 cups Panko breadcrumbs or any Dried Breadcrumbs
- Cooking Oil for Frying
- DIPPING SAUCE
- ½ cup Light Sodium or Regular Soy Sauce
- Wasabi or Japanese Horseradish
- Mix together the batter ingredients and place inside the refrigerator while the shrimps are being prepped.
- Slit the underside of the shrimps at an angle to make them straight. Set aside.
- Take out the batter mix from the refrigerator and dip each shrimp, then dredge in the breadcrumbs. Repeat for all the shrimps before you start frying.
- Heat up the cooking oil using medium low heat and drop the shrimps one by one without crowding them in the oil.
- Cook until golden brown about 3-4 minutes, then set on a paper towel to drain excess oil. Sprinkle with salt and pepper.
- Serve with the dipping sauce.
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