Lorraine Pascale, celebrated chef and cookbook author, shares her foolproof recipe for crispy tempura shrimp paired with a zesty soy-chili dip. This light, golden batter delivers restaurant-quality results at home.
Serves 3-4
"You'll impress your guests with this dish!" says Lorraine. "Shrimp are ideal, but zucchini, eggplant, peppers, or other vegetables work beautifully too. I craft my own dipping sauce, though store-bought chili sauce pairs nicely."
Main Ingredients
- 5 dl vegetable oil, for frying
- 100 g flour
- 100 g cornflour
- Pinch of salt
- 2 tbsp baking powder
- 1.8-2 dl ice-cold sparkling water
- Some ice cubes (optional but helpful)
- 10 large raw shrimp, peeled with tails intact
For the Dipping Sauce
- 20 ml soy sauce
- 20 ml mirin
- ½ chili pepper, seeds removed, chopped
- ½ garlic clove, peeled and chopped
- 5 mm piece fresh ginger (or to taste), peeled and finely chopped
Instructions
- Line a work surface with kitchen paper and top with a wire rack. This setup lets excess oil drip away. Keep a slotted spoon or tongs nearby.
- Pour oil into a medium-deep pan to a 5 cm depth (about 5 dl). Heat over medium until a small piece of bread browns in 50-60 seconds.
- While oil heats, whisk flour, cornflour, salt, and baking powder in a bowl. Create a well, pour in sparkling water, and mix swiftly—lumps are fine for a thick batter.
- Stir in 2-3 ice cubes. Dip a shrimp, let excess batter drip (revealing some shrimp), and gently lower into hot oil to avoid splashes.
- Fry in small batches (no more than 2-3 at a time) for 2-4 minutes until light golden. Avoid overcrowding to maintain oil temperature. Test one: flesh should be opaque white. Drain on the rack.
- Repeat with remaining shrimp and extra batter for vegetables if desired. Mix sauce ingredients and serve warm with hot tempura.
Adapted from Home Cooking Made Easy by Lorraine Pascale (€19.95). Find more recipes in the April issue of Santé (in stores March 26) for effortless home cooking.
