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Tempura at home? Try our framework

Tempura at home? Try our framework

Breaking down the technique + Asian recipes, the yuzu trend, & more

Ethan Chlebowski, Jess McIntosh & Keith McBrayer
December 14, 2025

Good morning. Today we’re diving into how to make tempura at home, something we recently covered on our Instagram page (if you like this newsletter, we have similar food and technique breakdowns there).

TECHNIQUE BREAKDOWN 🤯

Tempura

Tempura’s signature crispness comes from minimal gluten development and fast frying. Cold water, gentle mixing, and rice flour or cornstarch keep the batter light and delicate. Frying in hot oil sets a crisp exterior, and small batches maintain even oil temps. The result is a light, lacy crust instead of a heavy coating.

What You’ll Need

Liquid base (2 parts): ice-cold water or sparkling water

Flour & starch blend (1 part total): 70% all-purpose flour, 30% rice flour or cornstarch

Frying setup: neutral oil, thermometer, wire rack

Frying ingredients: vegetables of choice, seafood of choice, leafy greens

Dipping sauce: dashi broth (8 parts), soy sauce (1 part), mirin (1/2 part), and sugar (a pinch)

How to Do It

Prep the ingredients: Chop ingredients to size. Pat vegetables and seafood dry.
- Lightly dust with flour before battering. This precoat helps the batter cling evenly.
Mix the batter (2:1 liquid to flour ratio): Combine ice-cold liquid (water or sparkling water) with flour/starch blend.
- Stir gently with chopsticks—leave small lumps and don’t overmix.
- Keep in a metal bowl over ice to maintain cold temperature.
Heat the oil: Bring oil to 170–180°C (340–355°F).
- A drop of batter should sizzle and float within 2 seconds.
Dip and fry: Coat each ingredient lightly in batter, then drop into oil. Fry in small batches to keep temperature stable.
- Seafood: 1–2 minutes. Vegetables: 2–3 minutes.
Drain and serve: Transfer to a rack to drain and sprinkle lightly with salt.
- Serve immediately with dipping sauces or lemon wedges.

Notes & FAQ

Why is ice-cold water so important? Cold water prevents gluten formation and keeps the batter from thickening as it rests.

Can I make the batter ahead? No—tempura batter should be mixed right before frying for best texture.

What’s the ideal oil temperature? 170°C (338°F) for vegetables, 180°C (355°F) for quick cooking seafood. Lower temps can result in a greasy batter.

FYI — we have a lot more of these breakdowns are on our app, which is in final stages of beta testing. You can still get in on that or early subscriptions here.

RECIPE RECOMMENDATIONS ✅

Other Asian favorites

In the mood to cook some other Asian recipes? Check out our collection on Cook Well:

FOOD TRENDS 🚀

Yuzu is ubiquitous

What is yuzu and why am I seeing it as a flavor everywhere?

A yuzu is a round, yellow or green citrus fruit with fragrant, acidic juice that originates from East Asia but has surged in popularity across Europe and the U.S.

The flavor of yuzu is distinct: reminiscent of lemon with an herbal quality, perhaps similar to mandarin orange but with a more tart bite.

But what’s the appeal?

The rising popularity of yuzu makes sense considering its novelty and versatility. It’s an easy way to make the flavor profile more complex in dishes that typically use lime or lemons.

Yuzu juice or zest can be infused into liquor, added to cream for desserts, made into jams or vinaigrettes, used in savory applications, or even fermented.