Crispy Prawn Tempura

Light and crispy on the outside and tender and juicy on the inside. These tempura prawns are the ultimate indulgence.

Course Dinner

Cuisine Japanese

Prep Time 10

Cook Time 10

Total Time 20

Servings Prawns

Calories 171kcal

Author Kim

Prepare Prawns and coat in cornstarch: Peel and devein prawns, leaving leave rails intact. Next, add cornstarch to a small bowl. Dip each shrimp in cornstarch to coat. Shake them to release any excess. Set aside on a plate.
16 Large Uncooked Prawns, ¼ cup Cornstarch (or cornflour)
Heat Oil in pot: Add about 1 inch of cooking oil into a saucepan and heat it. Check its temperature by dropping a drop of the tempura batter. If it bubbles, it's ready to use.
Prepare Batter: Prepare the tempura batter by mixing all the ingredients into a bowl. Using a whisk to combine to get air into the batter.
¾ cup Cold water, 1 cup Plain Flour (or All-purpose flour), 1 teaspoon Baking soda (NOT baking powder), 2 teaspoon Sea salt, 1 large Egg
Fry Prawns: Once the oil is hot enough, take each prawn by its tail and dip it into the tempura batter, gently letting go until it is submerged. Fry each prawn for about a minute or until nicely golden on the outside. Don't overcrowd the pot as they won't cook evenly. Fry the prawns in batches if needed to prevent them from sticking together and to ensure even cooking. Once cooked, remove from oil with tongs and set aside on paper towel to release excess oil.
Serve: Serve warm with your favorite dipping sauce.

I recommend using large, fresh prawns that have been peeled and deveined for best results - leaving tails intact.
Pat the prawns dry with paper towels before coating them in cornstarch. This helps the cornstarch adhere better and ensures a crispier tempura coating.
To check if the oil is at the right temperature, use a kitchen thermometer if available. The oil should be around 350°F (175°C) for frying tempura. Alternatively, you can test it by dropping a small amount of tempura batter into the oil. If it bubbles and sizzles immediately, it's ready.
The number one tip for achieving super crispy tempura is to ensure that both the ingredients and the batter are kept cold before frying.
Mix the tempura batter until just combined; it's okay if there are a few lumps. Overmixing can lead to a dense batter.
Dip each prawn into the batter just before frying to ensure the batter stays cold and maintains its texture.
Calories: calories have been calculated on 1 tablespoon of oil per prawn.