Prawn and Vegetable Tempura with Tentsuyu Dipping Sauce
Light, shatteringly crisp prawn and vegetable tempura in a gluten free rice flour batter with a warm dashi dipping sauce.
Made with Dashi stock. Make a batch of the base first, then this takes minutes. Skip to the method
- Time40 min
- LevelMedium
- Costabout £2.14 a head
Cost is worked out from Aldi and Tesco shelf prices in October 2026. Your shop and brands will differ.
Ingredients
Tick what you need to buy. It goes on your shopping list.
Method
- 1
Make the tentsuyu: heat your ready made dashi (see the base recipe) with the mirin and tamari until just boiling. Pour into small bowls and keep warm.
- 2
Make a shallow cut on the underside of each prawn and press flat to stop them curling. Pat all the prawns and vegetables completely dry.
- 3
Heat the oil in a deep, heavy pan to 180C, or until a drop of batter sizzles and rises straight away. Never fill the pan more than halfway.
- 4
Quickly whisk the rice flour, cornflour and sparkling water in a bowl. Leave it lumpy. Do not overmix.
- 5
Dip the vegetables, then the prawns, in the batter and fry in small batches for 2 to 3 minutes, until pale golden and crisp. The prawns must be pink all through. Drain on kitchen paper.
3 min - 6
Serve straight away with the warm dipping sauce and a pile of grated daikon to stir in.
Tips
- Keep the batter ice cold and mix it just before frying. Lumps are fine and help the crisp texture.
- Fry in small batches so the oil stays hot. Overcrowding makes tempura greasy.
- Never leave hot oil unattended, and have a lid nearby. Let it cool fully before you move it.
Storing and freezing
Best eaten within minutes. Leftover tempura goes soft, but re crisp it in a hot oven for 8 minutes. The tentsuyu keeps 1 day in the fridge.
Questions
Is this tempura gluten free?
Yes. The batter uses rice flour and cornflour, and the tentsuyu uses gluten free tamari. Check the labels of your flours and mirin.
Why use sparkling water?
The bubbles and the cold keep the batter light, so the coating turns crisp and lacy instead of heavy.
How do I know the oil is the right temperature?
Use a thermometer to reach 180C. Without one, a drop of batter should sink slightly then rise and sizzle at once.
More made with dashi stock
Double check before you cook. Recipes can contain mistakes. Any diet labels come from the ingredients as written in this recipe and are a guide, not a guarantee. Always check every ingredient and the packet label for allergens and cross contamination, and ask your doctor or dietitian what is right for you, especially with coeliac disease, diabetes or a serious allergy. This is not medical advice.