What is Japanese Shrimp Tempura (Ebi Tempura)?

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.

What is the difference between tempura batter and regular batter?

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).

What can I serve with Japanese Shrimp Tempura (Ebi Tempura)?

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!

What is tentsuyu sauce?

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.

Japanese Shrimp Tempura (Ebi Tempura)

Name: Japanese Shrimp Tempura (Ebi Tempura)
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 20 min
Total time: 30 min
Cuisine: Japanese
Ingredients: 500g tail-on jumbo raw prawns; 100g cornflour; ¼ tsp flaky sea salt; 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; Sriracha mayonnaise, sweet chilli sauce or tentsuyu sauce

Japanese Shrimp Tempura (Ebi Tempura)

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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…

Author: Margie Nomura
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

Units Scale

For the prawns:

500g tail-on jumbo raw prawns
100g cornflour
1/4 tsp flaky sea salt

For the batter:

300g plain flour
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 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

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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!

Find it online: https://desertislanddishes.co/ebi-tempura/