Japanese Images are for illustrative purposes only, may be inaccurate, and do not guarantee the presence or absence of specific ingredients. 
Serving Images are for illustrative purposes only, may be inaccurate, and do not guarantee the presence or absence of specific ingredients. Tempura
Treat yourself to a medley of fresh seafood and vegetables encased in a shattering, ethereally light golden crust.
Contains common allergens
In the app, Listahan checks these against your household automatically.
Good to know
- One-pot
- Crispy
- Ready in under 30 minutes
Matched from this dish's own ingredients and timing. Browse more: one-pot dinnerscrispy recipes30-minute meals
Instructions
6 steps- 1
Prepare the ingredients: score the underside of the shrimp to prevent curling, and slice vegetables uniformly for even cooking. Dust lightly with flour.
- 2
Heat neutral oil in a heavy-bottomed pot to exactly 340°F (170°C) for vegetables and 350°F (175°C) for seafood.
- 3
In a chilled bowl, gently whisk the ice water and egg together, then loosely sprinkle in the cake flour.
- 4
Using chopsticks, mix the batter barely and quickly; it should remain lumpy and thin, with visible pockets of dry flour to ensure a delicate, shattering crust.
- 5
Dip ingredients into the cold batter one at a time, letting excess drip off, and gently slip them into the hot oil.
- 6
Fry for 2-3 minutes until the coating is crisp and pale blond, not heavily browned. Drain immediately on a wire rack to maintain maximum crispness.
Images are for illustrative purposes only, may be inaccurate, and do not guarantee the presence or absence of specific ingredients. Listahan Family Score™
72/100
Good fit for most families
Score reflects how well this recipe fits a typical busy household. In the app, your Family Score is personalized to your household's allergens, kids, and pantry.
Nutrition
per serving210
Calories
11 g
Protein
37 g
Carbs
2 g
Fat
Estimated per serving. Actual values depend on the brands and portions you use.
Listahan cooking guide
Chef notes & practical guide
Technique notes, ingredient swaps, serve-alongside ideas, storage guidance, and equipment for this recipe.
Cultural context
Tempura arrived in Japan with 16th-century Portuguese traders and was refined into something distinctly Japanese: an ultra-light, lacy fried coating that protects an ingredient rather than masking it. The art is in keeping the batter cold and barely mixed, so it shatters instead of crunching.
Listahan note
This version leans on the two non-negotiables, ice-cold batter and properly hot oil, and treats the lumpy, under-mixed batter as the goal rather than a mistake.
Technique cues
- Mix the batter cold, fast, and badly; lumps and streaks of dry flour are what give tempura its delicate, shattering crust instead of a thick shell.
- Hold vegetables at a lower oil temperature than seafood so each cooks through before the coating browns.
- Fry in small batches; crowding the oil drops its temperature and the coating turns greasy and pale.
Kitchen flow
- Parallel prep
- Cut and dust all ingredients and heat the oil before you mix the batter; once mixed, the batter must be used immediately.
- Make-ahead
- Tempura does not hold; prep the components ahead but fry only when everyone is ready to eat.
- Leftover move
- Crisp leftovers briefly in a hot oven or air fryer, or simmer them into tendon, tempura over rice with sweet sauce.
- Cleanup rhythm
- Let the oil cool fully, then strain and store or discard it; wipe splatter while the stove is still slightly warm.
Ingredient brief
Role, handling, and swap guidance for each key ingredient.
Large shrimp
Featured seafood
Purpose: Their quick cook time and natural sweetness suit the light coating.
Handling: Score the underside and press gently so they fry straight instead of curling into a ball.
Adaptation: White fish, squid, or scallops work; adjust timing for thickness.
Cake flour
The crust
Purpose: Its low protein keeps the coating tender and avoids the gluten development that makes batter chewy.
Handling: Add it last and barely stir it in.
Adaptation: All-purpose flour cut with a little cornstarch approximates it; a rice-flour blend is the gluten-free route.
Ice water
Crust insurance
Purpose: Cold batter hitting hot oil steams violently, creating the lacy, hollow crust.
Handling: Use water with ice cubes still in it and mix at the last possible second.
Adaptation: Chilled sparkling water adds extra lift if you have it.
Egg
Light binder
Purpose: A single egg gives just enough structure without weighing the batter down.
Handling: Whisk it into the ice water before the flour goes in.
Adaptation: For an egg-free batter, use more sparkling water and a pinch of baking soda; the crust will be a touch sturdier.
Neutral frying oil
The cooking medium
Purpose: A clean, high-smoke-point oil lets the ingredients taste of themselves.
Handling: Hold it near 340F for vegetables and 350F for seafood, and check with a thermometer.
Adaptation: A splash of sesame oil in the mix adds a traditional aroma.
Technique notes
- Hot-oil safety first: keep water away from the pot, dry every ingredient, and never fill the pot more than halfway.
- If your batter is smooth, you over-mixed it; the goal is a thin, lumpy slurry you can almost see through.
- Drain on a wire rack, not paper, so steam escapes and the underside stays crisp.
Ingredient swaps
- Gluten-free direction
- Use a rice-flour and cornstarch blend with sparkling water; the crust fries up even crispier.
- Shellfish-free direction
- Skip the shrimp and use sweet potato, mushroom, green beans, and white fish so the plate avoids shellfish.
- Egg-free option
- Replace the egg with extra cold sparkling water and a pinch of baking soda.
Serve alongside
- Steamed rice
- Grated daikon with tentsuyu dipping sauce
- Miso soup
- Quick pickles
- Cold green tea
- Crisp lager
- Chilled sake
Serving suggestions only — check pairings for your household's allergens.
Storage & reheating
- Refrigerate up to 2 days in a loosely covered container, expecting some loss of crispness.
- Re-crisp in a 375F oven or air fryer for a few minutes rather than the microwave, which steams it soft.
- Tempura does not freeze well; it is better to repurpose leftovers into a rice bowl.
Equipment
- Heavy deep pot or wok
- Frying thermometer
- Wire draining rack
- Long cooking chopsticks or a spider
Make this household-aware
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