Shrimp and Vegetable Tempura

Ingredients

• 200 g Raw peeled shrimp, tail left (Remove vein, pat dry with paper towel)
• 1 piece Carrot (Thinly sliced (1‑2 mm) on the bias)
• 1 piece Zucchini (Sliced 2‑3 mm, cut into a fan)
• 1 small piece Eggplant (Rounds 3‑4 mm, cut into a fan)
• 4 leaves Celery leaves (celery stalk) (Separated, stems removed, cut in a cross)
• 100 g Brown mushrooms (optional) (Used if no celery leaves)
• 120 g Low-protein wheat flour (≈8 %) (Sift before use)
• 30 g Potato or corn starch (To coat the shrimp before the batter)
• 1 piece Egg (At room temperature)
• 120 ml Very cold water (Preferably ice‑cold to slow gluten development)
• 200 ml Dashi (Japanese broth) (Prepared from powder or sachet)
• 30 ml Mirin (Sweet rice wine)
• 30 ml Soy sauce (Preferably light soy sauce)
• 5 g Sugar (Dissolved in the sauce)
• 2 L Frying oil (e.g., sunflower oil) (For frying at 170 °C)
• 1 pinch Salt (Lightly season the batter)

Instructions

1. Cut the vegetables

   Lightly peel the carrot and cut it into thin diagonal slices of 1‑2 mm. Slice the zucchini into 2‑3 mm slices, cut them into 4 cm pieces, remove 0.5 cm from the core, score the skin every 3 mm and open into a fan. Do the same with the eggplant (slices 3‑4 mm). Separate the celery leaves, remove the stems and cut a cross.

   Time: PT15M

2. Prepare the shrimp

   Peel the shrimp leaving the tail, scrape the vein with the thumb to remove water, remove the digestive tract with a toothpick, make a shallow cut along the abdomen at 1 cm intervals (3‑4 mm deep) and gently flatten. Pat the shrimp dry with paper towels then place them in the refrigerator while preparing the sauce.

   Time: PT10M

3. Prepare the dashi sauce

   In a small saucepan, combine the dashi, mirin, soy sauce and sugar. Bring to a gentle boil, stir until the sugar dissolves, then simmer for 2‑3 minutes. Remove from heat and keep warm (bain‑marie).

   Time: PT10M

   Temperature: 90°C

4. Prepare the tempura batter

   In a bowl, crack the egg, add 60 ml of very cold water and whisk lightly. Incorporate the remaining water (60 ml) then sift in the flour. Mix gently without beating until a slightly lumpy batter forms; do not over‑mix to limit gluten.

   Time: PT5M

5. Fry the shrimp

   Heat the oil to 170 °C. Coat each shrimp with starch, shake off excess, then dip into the batter. Gently lower into the hot oil. When the shrimp rises to the surface, let it brown for 3 minutes without sticking to other pieces. Drain on paper towels.

   Time: PT5M

   Temperature: 170°C

6. Fry the vegetables

   Coat each vegetable piece with starch, dip into the batter, then plunge into the oil at 170 °C. Fry until golden and crisp (about 3‑4 minutes). Drain on paper towels. The celery leaves are fried separately to prevent them from falling apart.

   Time: PT5M

   Temperature: 170°C

7. Plating and serving

   Arrange the fried shrimp and vegetables on a plate. Serve immediately with the dashi sauce on the side. Optionally sprinkle with a few tenkasu pearls (batter residues) for extra texture.

   Time: PT5M

Nutrition Facts

Calories

250

Protein

12 g

Carbohydrates

30 g

Fat

10 g

Fiber

3 g

Ingredient Substitutions

• Instead of Raw peeled shrimp, tail left: White fish fillet
• Instead of Carrot: Sweet potato
• Instead of Zucchini: Cucumber
• Instead of Eggplant: Squash
• Instead of Celery leaves (celery stalk): Chinese cabbage leaves
• Instead of Brown mushrooms (optional): Button mushrooms
• Instead of Low-protein wheat flour (≈8 %): Rice flour (gluten‑free version)
• Instead of Potato or corn starch: Tapioca starch
• Instead of Egg: Egg white only
• Instead of Very cold water: Very cold water with ice cubes
• Instead of Dashi (Japanese broth): Light vegetable broth
• Instead of Mirin: Sweet sake + sugar
• Instead of Soy sauce: Tamari (gluten‑free)
• Instead of Sugar: Light honey
• Instead of Frying oil (e.g., sunflower oil): Peanut oil, canola oil

Equipment Needed

• Chef's knife
• Cutting board
• Mixing bowl
• Whisk or fork
• Sieve or fine strainer
• Saucepan
• Cooking thermometer
• Deep fryer or deep pot
• Slotted spoon or skimmer
• Kitchen tongs
• Paper towels
• Cooling rack (optional)
• Serving plate (optional)

Critical Steps — Do Not Skip

• Cut the vegetables into very thin slices for quick cooking.
• Dry the shrimp thoroughly to avoid oil splatters.
• Maintain the oil at 170 °C throughout frying.

Chef Tips from the Video

• Use very cold water (or even crushed ice) for the batter to achieve an ultra‑light coating.
• Lightly sprinkle salt on the batter just before frying to enhance flavor.
• Reuse the batter scraps (tenkasu) as a topping for takoyaki or mixed into rice.

Troubleshooting

Storage

Refrigerator: The dashi sauce keeps for 3 days in the refrigerator in an airtight container. The tempuras stay crispy for 1 day in the refrigerator but lose their texture.

Freezer: Do not freeze the tempuras; the texture becomes soggy.

Room temperature: Consume immediately. At room temperature, the tempuras deteriorate after 2 hours.

Make-Ahead Tips

• Prepare the dashi sauce ahead of time and gently reheat before serving.
• Cut and dry all vegetables before starting the frying.
• Keep the batter refrigerated until ready to use to maintain its lightness.