Summary: Prawn and vegetable tempura in a thin batter made with ice-cold water and plain flour. The batter is mixed with chopsticks only and left lumpy; a smooth batter sets into a heavy coating. The oil is kept between 170 and 180°C, with the temperature checked by dropping in a little batter. Cooked pieces are drained on a wire rack and served straight away. Total time 60 minutes, makes 6 servings.
Have you cooked this recipe? Share your result with the community.
Categories: fish-and-seafood, japanese-cuisine
Success rate: not rated yet% of users managed this recipe
Quick overview
- Dish: Tempura – lightly coated and fried seafood or vegetables in a thin, crisp batter
- Categories: fish-and-seafood, japanese-cuisine
- Cuisine: Japanese
- Main ingredient: Tiger prawns, 600 g (raw, peeled, tail on) (quality specification)
- Guide: 12 most famous Japanese dishes: traditional recipes from Japanese cuisine
- Total time: 60 minutes (35 min preparation + 25 min cooking)
- Difficulty: Medium
- Servings: 6 (Serving weight: 300 g)
- Key technique: Frying in a thin batter made with ice-cold water, oil temperature held between 170 and 180°C
- Preparation type: Frying
- Dietary info & allergens: crustaceans (prawns), gluten (plain flour, soy sauce), egg (egg, batter), soy (soy sauce)
- Suitable for: Quick weeknight dinner, starter for guests, weekend cooking for six, dinner with friends at a Japanese table, homemade version of a restaurant classic.
- Nutrition (per serving): 525 kcal, Protein: 32.0 g, Fat: 21.0 g, Carbohydrates: 50.0 g
- Storage: 1 day in the fridge, 1 month in the freezer
- Pairing: Japanese light lager, dry white wine, sencha green tea
- In short: Tempura of prawns and vegetables in a thin batter made with iced water and plain flour. Total time 60 minutes, serves 6.
WAGUU says:“”Tempura batter is not mixed until smooth. Lumps in it are a sign that the flour has not been over-soaked – and that is exactly why the coating stays thin and crisp.””
Key facts
| Preparation time: | 35 |
| Cooking time: | 25 |
| Temperature: | Oil 170–180°C, batter made with ice-cold water at 4–6°C |
| Servings: | 6 |
At a glance
Tempura is recognised by a coating thinner than in other fried foods. Three things decide this: ice-cold water, mixing with chopsticks instead of a whisk, and oil temperature. Cold batter in hot oil sets on the surface immediately, so fat does not get inside. When the batter is mixed until smooth, a gluten network forms that absorbs oil during frying and the coating becomes heavy. Before coating, prawns are straightened with shallow cuts so they do not curl into a ring during frying.
Ingredients
Base servings: 6 servings • Serving weight: 300 g
| Ingredient | Amount | Quality |
|---|---|---|
| tiger prawns | 600 g | raw, peeled, tail on, 12 pieces |
| plain flour | 180 g | wheat, finely milled, sifted |
| eggs | 2 pcs | fresh, chilled, medium |
| ice-cold water | 250 ml | soft, with ice cubes |
| hokkaido pumpkin | 300 g | firm, cut into 5 mm slices |
| aubergine | 2 pcs | small, firm, 300 g |
| red pepper | 2 pcs | red, fleshy, 300 g |
| sweet potato | 400 g | firm, orange, cut into 5 mm slices |
| rapeseed oil | 1500 ml | for frying, high smoke point |
| fine sea salt | 6 g | for seasoning |
| soy sauce | 75 ml | naturally fermented, for dipping sauce |
| mirin | 45 ml | sweet rice wine for cooking |
| dashi stock | 150 ml | from seaweed and dried fish, for dipping sauce |
| daikon radish | 150 g | firm, fresh, finely grated |
| fresh ginger | 20 g | strong juicy root, grated |
Why you will love this recipe
- Thin coating, not a heavy crust: Ice-cold water and brief mixing with chopsticks keep the coating thin. The prawn flavour stays inside, not under a layer of batter.
- Vegetables in the same batch: Prawns and vegetables are fried in the same batter and at the same oil temperature. A whole dinner fits on one tray.
- Exact ratios for 6 servings: One hundred grams of prawns per serving, two tablespoons of batter per piece, and oil temperature monitored. Everything recalculates according to the number of diners.
Success guaranteed: Tempura coating is made from flour, egg and water. When flour is mixed for a long time, the proteins in it form a gluten network that absorbs oil during frying – the coating darkens, becomes heavy and loses its crispness. That is why the batter is mixed only briefly and dry patches remain. Oil temperature decides how quickly the coating seals. At 170 to 180°C the surface dries before fat penetrates deeper. At a lower temperature the coating absorbs oil; at a higher one it burns outside and stays raw inside. Water in the batter turns to steam at the boundary with the oil, and the steam lifts the coating – that is why pieces turn themselves and why we should not add too many at once. The steam escaping from the coating cools the oil, and with a large number of pieces the temperature drops below 170°C.
Recipe overview
Preparation: 35 min | Cooking: 25 min | Difficulty: Medium | Servings: 6 | Type: Main course | Origin: Japanese
Detailed method
Total progress: 6 % done
Phase 1: Preparing the ingredients – 20 min
Equipment: fridge, sharp knife
1. Peel the prawns leaving the tail intact, and make several shallow cuts on the inner belly side. Then place the prawns on kitchen paper and dry them on both sides.
2. Cut the pumpkin, aubergine, pepper and sweet potato into slices of equal thickness and place them on a tray. Put the vegetables and prawns in the fridge until you prepare the batter.
3. In a bowl, mix the dashi stock with soy sauce and mirin and set it aside in the fridge. Finely grate the daikon radish and ginger into two small bowls.
QC: The prawns are dry to the touch, the tail holds to the body, and after the cuts they do not curl when placed on a board. All vegetable slices are the same thickness and lie in a single layer.
Before you move to the next step:
Do not wash the prawns under running water. Wipe the surface water with kitchen paper; a wet prawn dilutes the batter and it will separate during frying.
Stage 2: Dipping sauce and batter – 8 min
Equipment: none
1. Pour the water into a bowl and add a few ice cubes. Crack the eggs into a second bowl and just beat them, then pour in the iced water and stir.
2. Sift the flour into the liquid and stir with chopsticks only until the ingredients come together. Leave dry patches of flour in the batter and place the bowl inside a larger bowl of ice and water.
VKB: The batter is thin, drips from the chopsticks in a thin stream and has visible lumps of dry flour. It is cold to the touch and there are no bubbles on the surface.
Before you move to the next step:
Do not mix the batter with a whisk and do not keep it warm. Any longer mixing creates a gluten network that absorbs oil during frying and the coating darkens.
Stage 3: Heating the oil – 8 min
Equipment: deep fryer or tall saucepan, kitchen thermometer
1. Pour the oil into a deep fryer or tall saucepan so that the level reaches one third of the height of the vessel. Heat it over a medium flame and monitor the temperature with a thermometer.
2. Check the oil temperature with a drop of batter. The drop should sink to the bottom and immediately return to the surface, where it disperses into fine bubbles.
VKB: The thermometer reads 170–180 °C. The drop of batter returns to the surface and does not burn. The oil surface is glossy, not smoking, and when viewed against the light you can see small swirls.
Before you move to the next step:
Never heat the oil over the highest flame. Overheated fat takes on a bitter taste and the coating darkens before the prawn is heated through.
Stage 4: Frying – 15 min
Equipment: fryer, tongs, rack
1. Hold the prawns by the tail, dip them into the batter and let the excess drip off. Add them to the oil a few at a time and keep spaces between them so they do not stick together.
2. Coat the vegetables in the same way and fry them according to the thickness of the slices. Lift out the finished pieces with tongs, let them drain over the oil and place them on a rack, not on kitchen paper.
VKB: The coating is pale golden and glistens when lifted from the oil, but is not greasy. The bubbles around the pieces are fine and fast. The prawn is opaque inside when cut, but still moist.
Before you move to the next step:
Do not put more pieces into the oil than it can hold at temperature. When the bubbles around the pieces subside, the oil has cooled and further pieces would absorb fat.
Stage 5: Resting and serving – 5 min
Equipment: rack, ladle
1. Place the finished pieces on a rack over a baking tray so that fat can escape from underneath. Leave gaps between the pieces and arrange them in a single layer.
2. Serve the tempura on a warmed plate with a bowl of dipping sauce, grated radish and ginger. Do not overlap the pieces on the plate.
VKB: Drops of fat collect on the baking tray under the rack, the coating stays dry and crisp. When pressed with a finger, the coating breaks rather than bends.
Required equipment
| Utensil | Ideal size | Alternative | Risk |
|---|---|---|---|
| deep fryer | 4 l capacity, with basket and temperature dial | tall saucepan with thermometer | a shallow pan will not hold temperature and the coating absorbs oil |
| kitchen thermometer | up to 250 °C, with fast response | check with a drop of batter | without measuring temperature the coating easily burns outside and stays raw inside |
| kitchen tongs | long narrow jaws | two forks with long handles | short tongs bring your hand close to the surface and risk scalding |
| draining rack | 30 × 20 cm, with 1 cm mesh | oven rack set over a baking tray | on kitchen paper steam condenses under the pieces and the coating softens |
| mixing chopsticks | wooden, 30 cm | fork with blunt prongs | a whisk or blender creates a gluten network in the batter |
Shopping list
Nutritional profile
Values per 1 portion (without side dish). Calculated from average nutritional values of ingredients.
| Nutrient | Per 100 g | Per 1 portion | Per 6 portions |
|---|---|---|---|
| Energy | 732 kJ / 175 kcal | 2197 kJ / 525 kcal | 13180 kJ / 3150 kcal |
| Fat | 7.0 g | 21.0 g | 126.0 g |
| of which saturates | 1.2 g | 3.5 g | 21.0 g |
| Carbohydrate | 16.7 g | 50.0 g | 300.0 g |
| of which sugars | 1.0 g | 3.1 g | 18.6 g |
| Protein | 10.7 g | 32.0 g | 192.0 g |
| Salt | 0.7 g | 2.1 g | 12.6 g |
Reference intake of an average adult (8400 kJ / 2000 kcal).
WAGUU Pro level
- Pro standard: Tested recipe with precise ratios and visual checkpoints.
- Tip 1: Tested recipe with precise ratios and visual checkpoints.
- Tip 2: Stir the batter with chopsticks only until the ingredients come together. Dry patches of flour in the batter are not a fault, they are what keeps the coating thin.
- Tip 3: Before coating, straighten the prawns with a few shallow cuts on the underside of the belly. They will not curl into a ring during frying and the coating stays even.
- Tip 4: Fry in small batches and let the oil return to temperature between batches. Cold oil soaks into the coating and the crunch is lost.
The science behind it
The crunch of the coating depends on how much water remains in the batter and how quickly it escapes. When the piece enters the oil, water at the surface turns to steam, which lifts the coating and creates pores in it. The less the batter is mixed, the fewer gluten strands form and the thinner the finished coating. Gluten forms an elastic network that holds both water and oil, which is why a smooth batter darkens and softens after frying. The oil temperature determines how quickly the surface dries. At 170 to 180 °C the coating dries before the fat penetrates deeper. When too many pieces go into the oil at once, the escaping steam cools the oil and the coating absorbs fat. That is why frying is done in small batches. Protein also plays a part with prawns: muscle fibres contract above 60 °C, which is why prawns curl into a ring. Shallow cuts on the underside of the belly limit this movement and the prawn stays straight.
Fine Dining – Professional techniques
- Plate composition: Arrange the tempura on the plate so that the pieces do not touch each other. Place a strip of absorbent paper under each piece and a small bowl of dipping sauce alongside.
- Texture contrasts: Place a piece of steamed pumpkin next to the crisp prawns. Soft pumpkin with a creamy flavour holds a contrast against the thin coating.
- Temperature contrast: Serve the tempura immediately after lifting it from the oil, when the coating is at its hottest. Serve the dipping sauce chilled; the temperature difference underlines the crunch.
- Aromatic additions: Grate fresh yuzu or organic lemon zest into the dipping sauce. The aroma is released by the heat of the coating and rises to the nose before the first bite.
Sensory radar
- Appearance: The coating is pale gold to light yellow, thin and irregular, with fine bubbles on the surface. The prawns show through pink, the vegetables keep their colour. There are no traces of oil on the rack beneath the pieces.
- Aroma: Fresh aroma of fried batter, followed by the sweet smell of prawns and vegetables. The dipping sauce adds a fresh note of dashi and soy sauce.
- Taste: Neutral flavour of the coating, sweet taste of the prawns and vegetables. The dipping sauce brings saltiness and a delicate seaweed note.
- Texture: The coating is crisp, snapping rather than bending when bitten. The prawn is firm and springy, the vegetables soft inside. There is no layer of oil between the coating and the filling.
Pairing
- Japanese pale lager: The carbonation and gentle bitterness cut through the oil in the coating. Serve chilled at 6–8 °C.
- Dry white wine: Muscadet or Chablis with higher acidity. The wine’s acidity cleanses the palate after the fried coating.
- Sencha green tea: Warm, but not boiling. The tea’s bitterness balances the saltiness of the dipping sauce.
Variations
- Vegetable tempura:: Replace the prawns with slices of squash, aubergine, sweet potato and red pepper. Cut the vegetables into slices of equal thickness so they fry for the same length of time.
- Fish tempura:: Instead of prawns, use white fish fillet cut into wider strips. Pat the fish dry with kitchen paper before coating; surface water will thin the batter.
Allergens and dietary information
Contains: crustaceans (prawns), gluten (plain flour, soy sauce), egg (egg, batter), soy (soy sauce) • Gluten: yes, in the plain flour and soy sauce • Not suitable for: people with coeliac disease, or allergies to crustaceans, egg and soy
Suitable for
A quick weeknight dinner, a starter for guests, weekend cooking for six, dinner with friends at a Japanese table, a home version of a restaurant classic.
Substitution guide
- Mirin:: dry white wine with a teaspoon of sugar. The flavour is sharper and less sweet, but the balance of salty and sweet stays the same.
FAQ
Why shouldn’t the batter be mixed until smooth?
Mixing for a long time develops a gluten network in the flour, which absorbs oil during frying and darkens the coating. That’s why it’s stirred only with chopsticks and dry patches are left in the batter.
How do I know the oil is at the right temperature?
A thermometer should read 170 to 180 °C. Without a thermometer, test with a drop of batter: it sinks to the bottom, immediately rises back to the surface and spreads into fine bubbles.
Why do prawns curl into a ring?
The muscle fibres contract with heat, and because they are shorter on the belly side, the prawn bends. Shallow cuts on the belly side limit this movement and the prawn stays straight.
Can I fry tempura in advance?
The coating tastes best straight from the oil. If you must, hold the finished pieces in an oven at 80 °C on a rack and serve within 15 minutes. In a microwave the coating goes soft.
What can I use instead of dashi stock?
A stock made from kombu seaweed and dried shiitake mushrooms. The flavour will be slightly different, but the dipping sauce stays fresh and not too salty.
How many pieces should I fry at once?
Enough that the oil surface stays moving and the pieces don’t touch. When the bubbles around the pieces die down, the oil has cooled and further pieces would absorb fat. Let the oil return to temperature between batches.
WAGUU Petr advises: Cooking for 6 or more?
6–8 people: Fry in two fryers or in one pan in two batches and hold the finished pieces in an oven at 80 °C on a rack. Always mix fresh batter; after twenty minutes it loses its chill. • 10+ people: Choose the vegetable version; it can be sliced ahead and holds its shape. Fry the prawns last, as they need the lowest oil temperature and the shortest time.
Sides and serving
Serving: Serve immediately on a rack with dipping sauce, grated white radish and a bowl of rice. Tempura can’t be set aside; the coating softens within minutes.
Storage and reheating
Fridge: 1 day • Freezer: 1 month • Reheating: Fridge: 1 day • Freezer: 1 month • Reheating: Reheat tempura in an oven at 180 °C for 6 minutes or in an air fryer. In a microwave the coating goes soft.
Author: WAGUU Petr & Team • Published: 7 Oct 2026 • Updated: 10 Oct 2026
More recipes from the article
Guide: 12 most famous Japanese dishes: traditional recipes from Japanese cuisine
Ramen – noodle soup with a rich broth, meat, egg, vegetables and other typical toppings
Tonkatsu – breaded fried pork cutlet served with finely shredded cabbage and tonkatsu sauce
Takoyaki – round fried batter balls filled with octopus, typical of Osaka
Katsudon – a bowl of rice with breaded pork cutlet tonkatsu, egg and onion in a seasoned broth
Gyudon – a bowl of rice topped with thin slices of beef and onion simmered in a sweet-savoury sauce
More recipes you might like
Why WAGUU?
WAGUU recipes are checked for accuracy of ingredients, methods and nutritional values.
Photo gallery of the process
Photos from the community: Cook it, photograph it and share the result.
You can upload photos in the comments below or send them by email.
Did you film a video of our recipe? Post a link to YouTube, YouTube Shorts, TikTok, Instagram Reels, Facebook Reels, Pinterest, Vimeo or X (Twitter) in the comments – we’ll be happy to publish it and help get you and your content noticed.
Most common mistakes
- Batter mixed until smooth – the flour forms a gluten network, the coating absorbs oil and darkens. Stir only with chopsticks and only until the ingredients come together.
- Warm oil and warm batter – warm batter spreads on the oil and the coating doesn’t stick. Keep the water and eggs in the fridge and mix the batter just before frying.
- Too many pieces in the oil – the oil temperature drops below 170 °C, the coating absorbs fat and stays soft. Fry in small batches and let the oil return to temperature between them.
- Finished pieces on a plate – steam condenses under the pieces and the coating goes soft from below. Rest tempura on a rack, not on a plate or kitchen paper.