Shishito Tempura (Japanese Fried Shishito Peppers)
A recipe for Shishito Tempura (Japanese Fried Shishito Peppers)! These peppers are coated in a light tempura batter and fried until crisp.
Servings 4 Servings
Ingredients
- 15-20 shishito peppers
- Vegetable oil for deep-frying
- 3/4 cup (177 milliliters) ice water
- 1 large egg yolk
- 3/4 cup (90 grams) cake flour
- 2 tablespoons (15 grams) cornstarch
- salt or dipping sauce for serving
Instructions
- Wash the shishito peppers and pat dry with a towel to remove all moisture. Prick each pepper a couple of times with a toothpick or sharp knife along the sides. This will help keep them from bursting.
- Pour the oil in a large saucepan or wok to about 2 inches (5 centimeters) deep and heat to 360˚F (185˚C).
- In a large bowl, beat together the water and egg yolk until frothy.
- Whisk in the flour and cornstarch using chopsticks until just combined, but not completely smooth, no more than a minute.
- Dip a pepper into the batter to coat completely, allow any excess to drip off, then place in the heated oil. Repeat with more peppers, taking care to not crowd the pan.
- Cover the pan with a splatter guard.
- If the batter is too thick when coating the peppers, mix in a little more ice cold water. If too thin and falling off, mix in a little more flour.
- Fry until golden on all sides, 3-5 minutes, then transfer to a towel-lined plate or rack. Repeat with remaining peppers, letting the oil get back to 360˚F (185˚C) between batches.
- Serve immediately with a sprinkling of salt or alongside desired dipping sauce.