Eggless Shrimp Tempura
Over time, I’ve tried various shrimp tempura recipes, but I must say that this is by far my favorite, especially because I have been able to experiment with mathematical certainty that: if I prepare it beforehand and then reheat it in the oven a few minutes before serving (with the timing I explain later in the article), the fry remains absolutely crunchy.
I highly recommend this recipe for special occasions, such as birthdays, Valentine’s Day, Easter, Christmas, New Year’s, since shrimp tempura can be prepared in advance and is ideal as an aperitif or finger food, perhaps enjoyed in the summer with a cold sparkling wine in peace with your guests, without frying at the moment and risking getting impregnated with the unpleasant smell of frying.
The recipe is taken from the May 2018 Starbook dedicated entirely to experimenting with various recipes from the book “Mon Grain de Sel” by Bernard Laurance.
The secret of the crispiness of the batter is due to the absence of eggs, as Bernard Laurance assures, who is always a guarantee!
This dish ranks among my “Top Recipes,” because it’s delicious and practical. If you’re looking for tried-and-true, delicious, and foolproof recipes, search the Blog among my signature dishes in the dedicated Section: “My Top Recipes“.
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- Difficulty: Easy
- Cost: Medium
- Rest time: 30 Minutes
- Preparation time: 30 Minutes
- Portions: 24 pieces
- Cooking methods: Frying
- Cuisine: International
- Seasonality: All Seasons
Ingredients for Eggless Shrimp Tempura
- 24 large Jumbo Shrimp (large and with tails)
- 1 1/2 cups All-purpose flour
- 1 cup Potato starch (or rice flour)
- 1 cup Water (very cold)
- 1 1/2 tbsp Instant yeast for savory preparations (NOT brewer's yeast)
- 1/2 tsp Fine salt (about a quarter teaspoon)
- as needed Flour (for dusting the shrimp)
- as needed Peanut oil (for frying)
Tools
- Immersion Blender Braun, 1000W Power
- Pot for frying
- Bowl
- Absorbent Paper
Preparation of Eggless Shrimp Tempura
Pour the rice flour (or starch) and salt into a bowl (the yeast NOT yet!).
Add the water, mixing well until all lumps are eliminated.
I used an immersion blender to emulsify the batter well.
The batter should be fluid but still quite thick at the same time. Refrigerate everything for 30 minutes, unless the water was truly icy.
The colder the batter, the better the yeast will work when it’s added later for frying.
Clean and peel the shrimp, leaving the tail tips, gently remove the black string from the shrimp (intestine).
.Dust the shrimp with flour, shake off the excess flour, then dip them into the batter, holding them by the tails.
In any case, try to keep as much batter as possible around the shrimp, because it’s what gives the shrimp tempura its crispiness.
I used convenient frozen shrimp, already peeled, except for the tail which I left on to help during frying and also because it’s aesthetically pleasing to leave the tail intact.
Meanwhile, heat a saucepan or a fryer (even better a wok) with plenty of oil on the stove.
When it’s time to cook, and the oil is hot (about 340/355 degrees Fahrenheit), finally add the yeast to the batter, mixing well (this operation should be done really just before frying!).
Dip each shrimp into the hot oil, holding it by the tail for about three seconds, so it doesn’t immediately sink and maintains a nicer shape.
Then leave the shrimp to finish cooking until it achieves a nice golden color.
Fry a few shrimp at a time.
Drain the shrimp tempura on absorbent kitchen paper and serve immediately, if desired accompanied by soy or sweet and sour sauce (see here, for example: sweet chili thai sauce).
If instead you want to prepare them in advance, proceed this way: after frying the shrimp, set them aside and – 10 minutes before serving – preheat the oven to 390 degrees Fahrenheit, place the shrimp on a plate and keep them in for eight minutes.
Let them rest for three minutes out of the oven and serve, they will have regained all their crispiness!
Bernard Laurance assures (and I personally confirm, see above) that this tempura easily regains crispness because the batter does NOT contain eggs, but only flour, starch, and water (and of course the yeast). The water, when it comes into contact with the hot oil, evaporates.
In this case, only the flour (or starch) remains on the shrimp, which is why they remain perfectly crispy.
Notes and Tips
If you’re looking for an unusual, tasty and impressive appetizer, I recommend trying my “Club Sandwich … with Pancakes“!!.
If you’re looking for an unusual, tasty and impressive appetizer, I recommend trying my “Club Sandwich … with Pancakes“!!.
Shopping Tips!!!
To fry the shrimp, I used this excellent and deep Deep Fryer Pot with Basket and Glass Lid 3 liters, Stainless Steel, available on Amazon at a great price #adv
For quickly frying food without oil spilling from the pot, I often use this practical deep fryer with a 3-liter capacity, cool walls prevent food debris from burning at the bottom, equipped with a safety oil filter that prevents excessive splashing, particularly useful for frying even frozen foods, easy to disassemble for cleaning in a dishwasher, available on Amazon at a special price. #adv
For preparing the batter, I used my immersion blender from Minipimer Braun MultiQuick 7, which you can purchase at a special price by clicking HERE #adv
Read my review for GialloZafferano on the Minipimer “Braun MQ9045 MultiQuick 9“
Read my review for GialloZafferano on the Minipimer “Braun MQ9045 MultiQuick 9“
