I don’t know about you, but I love eating out and exploring new restaurants. I find them so inspiring and the perfect way to learn about new cultures and cuisines - as well as try authentic versions of my firm favourites. Japanese Shrimp Tempura (Ebi Tempura) — known as ebi no tempura (海老の天ぷら) or ebiten (えび天) in Japan — is something that I always order when I go to a Japanese restaurant. Luckily for me, my husband is half Japanese so he has kindly taught me how to make it at home. It is surprisingly simple and so tasty. Imagine juicy prawns encased in the crispiest tempura batter, served with your favourite sauce. One word of warning - make more than you think you will need as these won’t be hanging round for long…
Japanese Shrimp Tempura (Ebi Tempura) sounds like it would be complicated to make but, trust me, you will be tucking into these crispy, crunchy bites of goodness in less than 30 minutes! Just like my Crispy Panko Prawn Tacos with Avocado Cream, Crunchy Slaw and Sriracha Drizzle, you can enjoy them as a snack with dips, or serve them as part of a main meal with some sticky sushi rice, sliced avocado and a delicious cucumber salad - the choice is up to you! Once you have got the tempura technique mastered, you can have fun getting creative with all sorts of ingredients - I love making tempura battered vegetables too!
Why you will love this Shrimp Tempura recipe:
- It is a quick canapé, snack, starter or part of a main course that is ready in less than 30 minutes.
- It is super simple and needs just a few easy-to-follow steps.
- It is full of flavour and texture thanks to the juicy prawns, crispy, crunchy batter and spicy, creamy sriracha mayonnaise (or sweet chilli dipping sauce).
- Although prawns can be a bit expensive, making your own Japanese Shrimp Tempura (Ebi Tempura) is much more budget-friendly than ordering it from a Japanese restaurant.
Ingredients:
Prawns - although any raw prawns would work, tail-on jumbo raw prawns will give the best results in terms of flavour and texture.
Cornflour - a light dusting of cornflour helps the batter stick to the prawns.
Salt - seasoning is really important throughout the coating to ensure the best flavour.
Plain flour - also known as ‘all-purpose flour’.
Baking powder - a little baking powder helps to create a light and airy batter with a crispy, crunchy texture.
Garlic granules - these give the batter a subtle garlic flavour which makes these Japanese Shrimp Tempura (Ebi Tempura) even more delicious.
Sparkling water - it might seem strange to specify sparkling water, but the carbon dioxide bubbles in the batter expand when they enter the hot oil, creating tiny bubbles that create the lightest, crispiest batter with the perfect crunch.
Ice cubes - these help to keep the batter as cold as possible which gives the best results.
Oil - you want a flavourless oil with a high smoke point so opt for something like sunflower or vegetable oil.
Full recipe can be found in the printable recipe card at the bottom of the post, just scroll down!
Substitutions and Variations:
Prawns: you could use any raw prawns for this recipe but the biggest ones you can find work best. Alternatively, swap for squid rings if you want to make tempura calamari. If you want a vegan-friendly tempura dish, you can use the same method and batter your favourite vegetables.
Dips: this works really well with a good dip. I like swirling some spicy sriracha through a good quality mayonnaise or serving with a delicious sweet chilli sauce. In Japan they serve it with tentsuyu sauce which is packed full of salty, umami flavours. You don’t have to be traditional though, they would also be delicious with a sour cream and chive dip or garlic aioli.
Directions:
Here's a step by step guide for what you need to do, but you can find the full recipe below for detailed instructions.
ONE: Peel the prawns but leave the tail on.
Lay the prawns on a chopping board and, using a sharp knife, cut shallow slits on either side to flatten them out. Pat dry with kitchen paper. Toss with cornflour.
TWO: For the batter: in a large mixing bowl, mix together the plain flour, baking powder, garlic granules and salt. Give it a good stir and then add the sparkling water, followed by the ice cubes. Don't over mix - it's okay if there are lumps.
THREE: One at a time, dip each prawn into the batter and gently shake off the excess.
FOUR: Carefully lower into the hot oil and fry for 2-3 minutes - or until crispy and golden brown. Once you get the hang of it, you can fry in batches of 3 or 4 at once - don’t do too many or you will overcrowd the pan. Remove and drain on kitchen roll.
Cooking Tips:
Preparing the prawns: it is really important to make sure the prawns are completely dry before dipping in the cornflour, so don’t be tempted to skip the step of patting them dry with a kitchen towel.
A dusting of flour: coating the prawns in a light dusting of cornflour will help the tempura batter stick, giving you deliciously crispy prawns.
Keep your cool: you want all the wet ingredients to be as cold as possible to slow down the gluten formation which will help ensure you have a nice and crisp batter.
Don’t over mix the batter: try to hold back from mixing too vigorously or else you will develop the gluten too much - chopsticks are ideal to prevent overmixing.
Fry in batches: it might be tempting to add all the prawns to the oil at once, but stick to 3 or 4 at a time to avoid overcrowding the pan.
Frequently Asked Questions
If you haven’t heard of it already, Japanese Shrimp Tempura (Ebi Tempura) is one of the most popular Japanese dishes that I thoroughly recommend you try next time you go to a Japanese restaurant. They are juicy prawns coated in the lightest, crispiest bubbly batter you could ever imagine.
Tempura is a Japanese-style of batter which is normally thinner and less greasy than regular batter - which gives it a lighter, crispier texture once deep fried (also allowing the inside to remain juicier and more tender). It isn’t just used for coating prawns, you can also find tempura vegetables (and often vegan-friendly, depending on whether the batter has an egg in or not).
FAQs: how to serve
There are so many different ways to enjoy Japanese Shrimp Tempura (Ebi Tempura). If you have it as a snack or starter, it is delicious with sriracha mayonnaise (which is so simple to make - you literally just stir some sriracha through good-quality mayonnaise), sweet chilli sauce or, the most traditional option, tentsuyu sauce.
You can also enjoy Japanese Shrimp Tempura (Ebi Tempura) as part of a main meal - I love it with some sticky sushi rice, sliced avocado and nori (seaweed) alongside a cucumber and radish salad drizzled in a salty soy sauce and sesame oil dressing. Sometimes I sprinkle over some sliced spring onions and chives, if I have them, and serve with some zesty lime for a bit of zing. Oh - I almost forgot! A drizzle of peanut rayu makes them unbelievably good!
Although ‘tentsuyu’ means ‘soup’, it is actually a dipping sauce for tempura and it tastes so good. It is super easy to make your own tentsuyu sauce at home if you want to serve these Japanese Shrimp Tempura (Ebi Tempura) like they would in Japan. All you need is dashi (a Japanese stock), soy sauce, mirin and a pinch of sugar. You can add some grated daikon radish for extra flavour, if you like, but that is entirely optional.
Other recipes you might enjoy:
If you like the sound of this Japanese Shrimp Tempura (Ebi Tempura), I have so many other delicious recipes for you to try. My Crispy Panko Prawn Tacos with Avocado Cream, Crunchy Slaw and Sriracha Drizzle are perfect for sharing - and simple enough to make on busy weeknights when you want something full of flavour, but free of fuss! If you want to stick with the Asian vibes, my Teriyaki Salmon Bowl is an absolute must-try. It is quick, simple and nutritious - but doesn’t skimp on flavour.
I also have some delicious noodle recipes like my Korean Spicy Ramen Noodles - who could believe such a delicious dish could take just 5 minutes? If you want a simple, yet tasty, vegan-friendly noodle dish, my Quick Curry Udon with Tofu is hard to beat. Imagine bouncy noodles in the most incredible aromatic curry sauce, topped with crispy tofu and onions. Two words: so good.
Made this recipe and loved it?
I would love love LOVE if you could leave a review in the comments… I love hearing what you thought, any changes you made, the stories behind what made you try my recipes. Also, if you share a photo on Instagram, please tag me @desertislanddishes, it makes my day to see you making my creations!
PrintJapanese Shrimp Tempura (Ebi Tempura)
These Japanese Shrimp Tempura (Ebi Tempura) are always a winner. After all, who could resist plump and juicy prawns encased in the crispiest tempura batter? I always make extra because they seem to disappear far too quickly…
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Total Time: 30 minutes
- Yield: Serves 2 (as a main), 6-8 (as a canapé) 1x
- Category: Sides
- Method: Deep Frying
- Cuisine: Japanese
Ingredients
For the prawns:
- 500g tail-on jumbo raw prawns
- 100g cornflour
- ¼ tsp flaky sea salt
For the batter:
- 300g plain flour
- 1 ½ tsp baking powder
- ½ tsp salt
- 1 tsp garlic granules
- 400ml chilled sparkling water
- 2 ice cubes
- Oil, for frying
To serve:
- Sriracha mayonnaise, sweet chilli sauce or tentsuyu sauce
Instructions
- Peel the prawns but leave the tail on. Using a sharp knife, carefully devein them - it can be a bit fiddly and time consuming, but is definitely worth it (you could ask your fishmonger to do this bit for you).
- Lay the prawns on a chopping board and, using a sharp knife, cut shallow slits on either side to flatten them out. Pat dry with kitchen paper.
- Tip the cornflour in a shallow bowl and the salt. Mix to combine. Add the prawns and toss together so they are well coated. Set aside.
- For the batter: in a large mixing bowl, mix together the plain flour, baking powder, garlic granules and salt. Give it a good stir and then add the sparkling water, followed by the ice cubes. Don't over mix - it's okay if there are lumps.
- Fill a large deep-saucepan, casserole pan or deep-fat fryer ⅓ full of oil and heat until it reaches 190C. Line a plate or baking tray with kitchen paper.
- One at a time, dip each prawn into the batter and gently shake off the excess. Carefully lower into the hot oil and fry for 2-3 minutes - or until crispy and golden brown. Once you get the hang of it, you can fry in batches of 3 or 4 at once - don’t do too many or you will overcrowd the pan.
- Carefully remove the prawns from the oil using a slotted spoon and place on the kitchen-paper lined plate or baking tray to absorb any excess oil. Repeat with the remaining prawns.
- Serve warm with sriracha mayonnaise, sweet chilli sauce or tentsuyu sauce. Enjoy!
Notes
Chill out: you need the fizzy water to be ice cold, ice cubes are ideal for keeping it cold.
Overcrowding: it is really important not to overcrowd the pan when frying or else the temperature could drop leaving you with oily, greasy prawns or the prawns could stick together - neither of which are what we are going for!
Serving suggestion: I love serving this with a spicy sriracha mayonnaise or sweet chilli sauce. Traditionally it would be tentsuyu which is a must-try if you can find it!
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