Prawn and Vegetable Tempura
Photo: Genri Kura / Unsplash
Prawns and seasonal vegetables in a feather-light, lacy batter, fried until just golden and crisp. Served with tentsuyu dipping sauce and grated daikon.
Servings
Ingredients
Nutrition
Per serving
Steps
Make the tentsuyu
Bring the , soy sauce and to a boil in a small pan over medium heat, then remove from the heat and keep warm until serving.
- 200 ml stock
- 3 tbsp soy sauce
- 3 tbsp
✅ Done when: liquid is simmering gently and smells fragrant
Prepare the prawns and vegetables
Make 3-4 shallow cuts across the belly of each prawn and press gently so it lies straight. Pat the prawns and all vegetables completely dry with paper towels so the batter will stick.
- 12 prawns
- 1 sweet potato
- 1 aubergine
- 8 shiitake mushrooms
- 8 green beans or shiso leaves
✅ Done when: prawns lie flat and everything is completely dry to the touch
Heat the oil and dust the ingredients
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Mix the batter at the last moment
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Fry the vegetables
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Fry the prawns
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Serve
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Make the tentsuyu
Bring the , soy sauce and to a boil in a small pan over medium heat, then remove from the heat and keep warm until serving.
- 200 ml stock
- 3 tbsp soy sauce
- 3 tbsp
✅ Done when: liquid is simmering gently and smells fragrant
Prepare the prawns and vegetables
Make 3-4 shallow cuts across the belly of each prawn and press gently so it lies straight. Pat the prawns and all vegetables completely dry with paper towels so the batter will stick.
- 12 prawns
- 1 sweet potato
- 1 aubergine
- 8 shiitake mushrooms
- 8 green beans or shiso leaves
✅ Done when: prawns lie flat and everything is completely dry to the touch
Heat the oil and dust the ingredients
This step is part of Foodie Premium. Subscribe to unlock the full method, cooking mode and every recipe in the library.
Mix the batter at the last moment
This step is part of Foodie Premium. Subscribe to unlock the full method, cooking mode and every recipe in the library.
Fry the vegetables
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Fry the prawns
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Serve
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The Story Behind the Dish
Tempura was introduced to Japan by Portuguese missionaries and traders in Nagasaki in the 16th century. They fried fish and vegetables in batter during the Catholic fasting periods called quattuor tempora, which may be where the name comes from.
In the Edo period, tempura became Tokyo's favourite street food, sold on skewers from stalls. Today it ranges from cheap lunches to exclusive counters where chefs fry each piece in front of you.
⭐ Why It's Famous
The batter is so light and crisp that it lets the sweetness of the prawn and vegetables shine through.
💡 Fun Fact
The secret of a light batter is to keep everything ice-cold and barely mix it, so very little gluten forms.
Nagasaki, then Tokyo
32.75°N, 129.88°E
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