Air-Fried Tempura: A Quick, Crispy, Tasty Treat

Tempura is a Japanese dish that consists of shrimp and/or vegetables dipped in batter and then deep-fried. It is usually served as a side dish in Japanese restaurants, but it can also be a main dish served over rice. Making tempura at home can be challenging, especially if you want to achieve the perfect lacy, crispy batter. However, with an air fryer, you can make tempura that is quick, easy, and healthier than the traditional deep-fried version. This paragraph aims to introduce the topic of making tempura in an air fryer, including the benefits, ingredients, and some tips for achieving the best results.

Choosing your ingredients

The ingredients you choose for your tempura will depend on your personal preference, but there are some key considerations to keep in mind.

Firstly, decide on your main ingredient. While tempura is traditionally made with shrimp, you can also choose from a variety of vegetables, including sweet potato, carrot, lotus root, kabocha squash, bell pepper, broccoli, zucchini, and shiitake mushrooms. If you opt for shrimp, make sure to buy medium-sized shrimp that are raw and peeled.

Once you've chosen your main ingredient, you'll need to gather the ingredients for the tempura batter. A basic batter typically includes all-purpose flour, water, and egg. However, some recipes suggest omitting the egg and using Japanese mayonnaise instead, as it helps emulsify the oils in the batter and prevents sogginess. You can also experiment with adding ingredients like cornstarch, baking powder, or ice-cold club soda to lighten the batter and give it a crispy texture.

For a breaded coating, you'll need panko breadcrumbs. If you're following a low-carb or keto diet, you can substitute the panko with crushed pork rinds. Additionally, you'll need a light spray of cooking oil to ensure your tempura doesn't stick to the air fryer basket and to achieve an even golden-brown crispness.

Finally, decide if you want to serve your tempura with a dipping sauce. Traditional tempura is often served with a dipping sauce called tentsuyu, which can be purchased or made from scratch. Alternatively, you can experiment with other dips like spicy mayo or a mix of soy sauce and mirin.

Preparing your shrimp

Next, pat your shrimp dry with paper towels. Then, place the shrimp in a plastic zipper bag with cornstarch and salt, and toss well to coat. You can also use a mixture of flour, ice-cold water, and egg whites for this step if you prefer.

Now you are ready to start battering your shrimp. In one bowl, whisk together flour, ice-cold water, and egg whites. In a separate bowl, add some more flour. Dip the shrimp, one at a time, in the wet flour batter, then dredge them through the dry flour to lightly coat them. Place them on a clean plate or parchment-lined baking sheet.

Air-frying your shrimp

Preheat your air fryer to between 350-400 degrees Fahrenheit. Spray the inner basket generously with cooking oil spray to prevent sticking. Working in batches, place the shrimp in the basket in a single, uncrowded layer. Spray them with cooking oil spray, then air fry for 7-8 minutes, or until lightly golden. Repeat this process until all your shrimp are cooked.

Your shrimp tempura is now ready to serve! Enjoy it as a main dish over rice or as a side dish with your favourite dipping sauce.

Making the batter

Ingredients:

• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 1 cup water, chilled with ice
• 1 egg

Instructions:

• Mix your tempura batter: In a bowl, mix the ice water and the lightly beaten egg. Then, lightly mix in the flour and chilled water (remove any ice). The batter should be lumpy. A pinch of salt can be added to enhance the flavour.
• Prepare your vegetables: Slice your chosen vegetables into uniform, thin slices. This will ensure they cook evenly and achieve the desired crispiness.
• Coat the vegetables: Dip each vegetable slice into the batter, ensuring each piece is well-coated. Allow any excess batter to drip off.
• Preheat your air fryer: Preheat your air fryer to 390-400 degrees Fahrenheit. This step is crucial for achieving a crispy exterior on the tempura.
• Cook the tempura: Place the battered vegetables into the air fryer basket, ensuring they are not overcrowded. Cook for 6-10 minutes, or until golden and crispy. You may need to cook the vegetables in batches.

Tips for making the perfect tempura batter:

• Use ice-cold water to make the batter.
• Avoid overmixing the batter. It should be combined but still lumpy.
• If your batter is too thick, add more ice water. If it's too thin, add more flour. It should resemble a thin pancake batter.
• Don't overcrowd the air fryer basket. Cook in batches if necessary to prevent the slices from touching.

Cooking the tempura

The key to a good tempura is a lacy, crispy batter that is light and not soggy, thick, or oily. This can be achieved by using carbonated water, very cold water, or even ice. Some recipes suggest using chopsticks to whip air into the batter, but not too much. It is also important to dip and fry the food immediately so that the batter does not deflate.

For the air fryer, the batter should not be too liquidy; otherwise, it will drip off the food. One can also dip the battered food in flour to dust the outside, creating a breaded food with batter. It is important to not overcrowd the air fryer basket, and to cook the tempura in batches.

For shrimp tempura, one can make shallow slices crosswise along the underside of the shrimp and then use fingers to stretch out the shrimp so that it lies straight instead of curled. This is an optional step, as it does not affect the taste.

For root vegetables, it is important to slice them thinly (no thicker than 1/4 inch) so that they cook through by the time the batter is done frying.

The air fryer temperature should be set to around 350-400°F. The cooking time will vary depending on the type of food being cooked, but it typically ranges from 5 to 10 minutes, or until the tempura is golden brown and crispy. For example, shrimp tempura may take around 8 minutes, while root vegetables may take 10 minutes.

It is recommended to spray the air fryer basket with cooking spray or oil to prevent sticking and ensure even browning. Additionally, flipping the tempura halfway through the cooking process can promote even browning and crispiness on all sides.

Serving suggestions

Tempura is best served hot! You can serve it as a main dish over rice or as a side dish. It works great in a bento box, too. Tempura also goes well with noodles like udon or soba. But, of course, it's your kitchen and your meal, so eat it however you want!

Typically, tempura is served with a dipping sauce called tentsuyu. Because traditional tempura doesn’t have added salt in the batter, you get a lot of salty flavour from the soy sauce in the tentsuyu. You can buy tentsuyu from a Japanese market, or you could make it from a concentrate (like the ones used to make soup noodle broths). Or you can make it from scratch.

Pour three-quarters of a cup of prepared dashi stock in a small saucepan over medium-low heat. Add three tablespoons of regular soy sauce and two tablespoons of Mirin, a sweet Japanese cooking wine. If you don’t have Mirin, you can substitute dry sherry. Finally, sprinkle in 2 teaspoons of white sugar. Cook slowly while continuously stirring until the sugar dissolves and the sauce thickens slightly. Serve while still warm.

Tempura also pairs well with mayonnaise mixed with wasabi. You can also experiment with dips like spicy mayo or a sweet-and-sour sauce.

Frequently asked questions