Corn Tempura
Submitted by happyzhangbo
Fresh corn in a shatteringly light tempura batter, deep-fried until golden and lacy. Served with tentsuyu dipping sauce and grated daikon for a crisp Japanese-style appetizer.
YIELD
6 servingsPREP
12 minCOOK
11 minREADY
25 minCorn tempura takes everything you love about sweet summer corn and wraps it in the lightest, crispiest shell imaginable. The batter is classic tempura: flour, cornstarch, egg, baking soda, and ice-cold water whisked into something almost too thin to seem like it’ll work. Then it does.
Dropped by spoonfuls into hot oil, the batter puffs and crisps instantly while the corn inside stays juicy and sweet. The edges go lacy and shatteringly crisp, like little golden clouds.
The dipping sauce brings it all together. Tentsuyu thinned with water and topped with grated daikon radish adds a sharp, clean contrast to the rich fried bites.
Chef Tips
- Keep the batter ice cold. Sit the bowl inside a larger bowl of ice water the entire time. Warm batter makes heavy, greasy tempura.
- Don’t overmix. Lumps in the batter are not just acceptable, they’re essential. Overmixing develops gluten and kills the crispness.
- Fry in small batches so the oil temperature stays steady. Crowding drops the heat and makes soggy tempura.
- Use fresh corn cut right off the cob for the best sweetness and crunch inside the batter.
Ingredients
Directions
In large bowl. whisk together flour, cornstarch, baking soda, egg and ½ cup of the ice water.
Whisk in remaining water, ¼ cup at a time, to make thin batter.
Stir in corn. Place bowl in second bowl filled with more ice water.
Pour enough oil into wok or dutch oven to come about 2 inches up side.
Heat unti deep-fryer thermometer 375℉ (190℃) (190 cup degree), or until 1-inch cube of white bread turns golden in 30 seconds.
Gently drop batter, 2 tablespoons at a time, into hot oil (batter will sik slightly then rise to surface with bits breaking off at edges).
Deep-fry, turning once, until golden brown, about 3 minutes.
Drain on paper towel-lined rack.
Dipping sauce:
In small saucepan, bring dipping sauce and water to boil.
Remove from heat.
Squeeze out liquid from radish, add daikon to sauce.
Serve with tempura.
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