How to Make the Perfect Tempura Batter

Tempura is one of the most popular dishes in Japan - you can create your very own tempura using a variety of your favourite ingredients to create an assortment of battered bites!

Tempura is often enjoyed because of its quick cooking time. It’s a tasty dish in its own right but, depending on your preference, you can also enjoy it with rice or noodles. When served without noodles, it is usually accompanied by a dipping sauce and garnished with grated daikon radishes.

If that all sounds good, stick with us to learn how to create your very own tempura in a matter of minutes! You can easily source all the ingredients you’ll need to cook up some delicious homemade Japanese food from our online store!

What is Tempura?

Tempura is a Japanese dish that consists of battered ingredients; the most popular types of tempura include:

• Prawn (Ebi)
• Fish (Sakana)
• Aubergine (Nasu)
• Japanese pumpkin (Kabocha)
• Sweet potato (Satsumaimo)
• Mushroom (Kinoko)
• Vegetable and fish combined (Kakiage)

Originally, tempura was introduced to the city of Nagasaki in Japan by the Portuguese in the 16th century. At the time, the frying technique used to make tempura was something completely new to Japanese people.

Why isn’t my Tempura Batter Crispy?

The key to a good tempura dish is the batter - which is why it can be disappointing if you’ve bitten into your homemade tempura to find it slightly soggy! Crispy batter is an absolute must, and you’ll want the gluten to form in the batter to ensure it becomes super crisp, doing your recipe justice.

To ensure you get that crunch, try not to overcrowd the pan when frying and stick to small batches. Once a batch has been cooked, check that the temperature of the oil is still hot enough, as a low heat will create oily tempura.

If you can't wait for a taste of tempura but don't want to make you own batter, you can also use a ready made tempura batter mix that makes the process even easier!