My recent attempt, actually my first attempt, at creating a crispy gluten free tempura recipe actually turned out super crispy and delicious. They’re dairy-free and egg-free, too! There are nospecial gluten free ingredients required. Use this recipe with vegetables, chicken or shrimp.
Ingredients such as cornstarch, baking soda, and sparkling water create the desired crispness you look for in tempura. Be sure to chill your ingredients as doing so makes them even crispier.
To educate you, I want to explain the ingredients that I used. While at first I was tempted to use just white rice flour as it is the gluten free flour that crisps the most. However, knowing that cornstarch also lends a crispness to baked and fried goods, I went ahead and used some in this recipe. It was perfect! I also enjoy the yellow/gold color it creates. Now, if you are intolerant to corn, you may use potato starch instead. It has similar properties as cornstarch, but just a little less of the crisping elements. For those who are intolerant to both, use all rice flour, without any starch. Tapioca and arrowroot are too chewy for this recipe. In addition, arrowroot tends to make things soft.
One of the keys to making anything crispy that is to be deep-fried is the use of cold ingredients. It doesn’t matter if it is a batter, a breading, or potatoes. Not only should your vegetable be cold, but chill your flour and starch, as well.
In your quest to make your own recipe book, you can use this recipe with vegetables such as asparagus, zucchini, onion wedges, red bell pepper wedges, and even shrimp and chicken.
Deep-frying is always easiest in a deep-fryer, however, the recipe includes tips for those without one. You don’t even need a thermometerthough they are helpful.
True tempura consists of a light batter that may not even cover all of the the item you are deep-frying. However, you can always cut back on the water to create a thicker batter. Another option is to dip the item in the batter, fry it for 20 seconds, dip it in the batter again, and fry for about 2 minutes. This will create a thicker batter like the one used in myGluten Free Onion Ringsrecipe.
In traditional, gluten tempura recipes you’ll notice that the batter is lumpy. To achieve this, you leave the lumps in the batter. However, as thin as the batter is that I created, there are not a lot of lumps in it. Feel free to add additional rice flour to make it thicker and lumpier, if you are after a similar appearance and texture.
How to Make Crisp Gluten Free Tempura
5
Prep Time: 50 minutes
Cook Time: 25 minutes
Total Time: 1 hour, 15 minutes
Yield: Makes 2 servings
A super crispy gluten free tempura recipe for vegetables, chicken or shrimp; along with an education on how the ingredients achieve what they make!
Ingredients:
- Oil for frying
- 3/4 cup white or brown rice flour, chilled - plusmore for dusting
- 1/2 cup cornstarch, chilled
- 1/2 teaspoon salt, chilled
- 1/4 teaspoon baking soda, chilled
- 2/3 cup sparkling water, chilled
- 1/2 cup gluten-free panko bread crumbs* (optional)
- Chilledvegetables of choice: bell pepper wedges, skewered onion wedges, sweet potato sticks, eggplant sticks, broccoli florets, zucchini slices or sticks
- Shrimp, shelled, trimmed, and deveined (optional)
Instructions:
- Preheat enough oil to cover the pieces of food, at least 2 inches, in a heavy skillet; or preheat a deep-fryer to 375°F**. Line a plate with paper towels; set aside. Add some brown rice flour to another plate to use for dredging items.
- Dredge the vegetables or shrimp in the brown rice flour, andtransfer to a plate.
- In a separate container or bowl, whisk together the rice flour, cornstarch, salt, and baking soda.
- Pour the cold sparkling water into the flour mixture a little bit at a time and whisk until thoroughly combined. (Adding gluten-free panko bread crumbs will create the traditional lumpy texture.)
- Using metal tongs, dip the floured items into the batter and slowly lower them into the hot oil. Do not let go of them until they are cooked enough not to stick to the skillet or the deep-fryer, about 30 seconds. Release them into the oil and continue to cook for about 2-1/2 minutes or until crisp. (Do not overcrowd the oil as your items will not crisp as well. Be sure to bring the temperature back up to 375°F prior to frying your next batch.)
- Using tongs, remove each item and allow any excess grease to drip back into the skillet/fryer. Then transfer them to the paper-towel-lined plate to drain. If desired, immediately sprinkle them with additional salt. Cover and refrigerate leftover batter. However, the sparkling water will go flat and not make as crispy tempura.
Tips
*To make homemade panko breadcrumbs, remove the inside dough from baked Schar Ciabatta Rolls and allow to dry overnight or a couple of days. Crumble into small pieces by adding to a plastic bag. Then crush them to 1/16 to 1/8 inch in diameter using a rolling pin. (You can use the shell from the rolls to fill with all of the fixings of an omelet and bake at 400°F for 13 - 14 minutes.)
For darker crust, add 1 egg yolk to the batter.
For less crispy and light colored crust, fry at 350°F.
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FAQs
Gluten-free tempura batter is made of just three simple ingredients: rice flour, egg, and water. I've tested different ratios for each ingredient, and the ratio I am sharing in the recipe resulted in the best texture and flavor. Unlike regular tempura, batter made from rice flour is thinner.
How do you make gluten-free tempura? ›
Instructions
- Preheat oil for frying (ideally 350-375°F).
- Combine cassava flour with garlic powder and salt.
- Add in egg and mix.
- Slowly whisk in seltzer to make batter consistency.
- Dip anything you want and fry in preheated oil until golden brown.
Some chefs say the secret to crispy tempura is ensuring that the water you use is ice cold and to use chopsticks while mixing the batter. Using chopsticks to mix will prevent too much air from entering the batter and will result in a crispier fry.
Are crunchy tempura flakes gluten-free? ›
Nope! Regular tempura is traditionally - and commonly, today - made with wheat flour. While some tempura-specific flours exist that are lower in gluten, they're still wheat flours. The beauty of gluten-free tempura is that rice flour crisps up REALLY nicely when deep fried.
Can you use cornstarch instead of flour in tempura? ›
It seems that with tempura, you can use flour or flour with cornstarch; ice water, seltzer water, or club soda; eggs or no eggs.
Does gluten-free batter taste different? ›
All gluten-free flours have a different taste. Some gluten-free flours are naturally sweet, some are nutty, while others have a strong flavor. When you're just getting started baking gluten-free, experiment with as many different flours as you can. Be sure to keep notes about which flours you like and which you don't.
What is a substitute for tempura batter? ›
Beer Batter: For a unique twist on traditional tempura batter, you can use beer as a substitute for tempura flour. The carbonation in the beer creates a light and airy batter that produces a crispy coating when fried. Beer batter can add a subtle flavor to the tempura, making it a popular choice for seafood tempura.
Can you buy gluten free batter mix? ›
For a crispy, light textured complete batter with a pale golden colour, suitable for coating fish or chicken. For a crispy, light textured complete batter with a pale golden colour, suitable for coating fish or chicken.
Is cornstarch gluten-free? ›
Cornstarch is a fine, white powder processed from the endosperm of corn. The endosperm is the nutrient-rich tissue inside the grain. Corn is a gluten-free grain, and no other ingredients are typically required to make cornstarch. As a result, pure cornstarch — which contains 100% cornstarch — is naturally gluten-free.
How to make tempura stay crispy? ›
Use ice-cold sparkling water or club soda for that light and crispy texture. Preheat your frying oil to around 350°F (180°C) and avoid overcrowding the fryer to keep the temperature consistent. You can also try a mix of all-purpose flour and cornstarch for that perfect crispiness! What are some tempura recipes?
Rice flour and cornstarch work particularly well because they fry up crispier than wheat flour. They also absorb less moisture and fat during the frying process, making the products less greasy. This is why rice flour is often used when making tempura because it produces a very thin and crispy, dry crust.
How do you keep tempura crispy? ›
Setting the fried tempura on a rack will keep it crisp and it'll keep nicely hot in the oven while you cook the rest of the food. You can also prepare the tempura in advance (or keep leftovers) by letting it cool completely on the rack, then storing it in an airtight container in the fridge.
What is gluten-free batter made from? ›
Ingredients: flour blend (rice, potato, tapioca, maize, buckwheat, gram), raising agents (sodium bicarbonate, mono-calcium phosphate), salt. Storage: to keep your batter mix flour at its best, roll down the top after use and store in a cool dry place.
Can celiacs eat batter? ›
ALL foods made from wheat, barley, rye and their flours must be avoided: Bread, cakes, biscuits and pasta. Breakfast cereals made from these grains. Many manufactured and processed foods – fish fingers, chicken nuggets and all breaded and battered fish and meat, pastry, scotch eggs and yogurt with muesli.
Is sushi ok for celiacs? ›
The bottom line. Many types of sushi can be enjoyed by people on a gluten-free diet, such as people with celiac disease. However, some ingredients and sauces won't be suitable, such as regular soy sauce, imitation crab, tempura, breadcrumbs, and many other sauces.
Can I substitute flour for tempura mix? ›
The resulting tempura will have a lighter, crispier texture compared to using all-purpose flour. Additionally, rice flour can add a delicate, slightly sweet flavor to the tempura. Cornstarch: Cornstarch can be used as a substitute for tempura flour, either on its own or in combination with all-purpose flour.
Is all tempura gluten free? ›
Anything “Tempura” is not gluten free. Tempura is Japanese flour, so anything tempuraed is floured, battered and deep fried. Since flour is not gluten free anything you ordered that is tempuraed is not gluten free.
Can you buy gluten free batter? ›
This Gluten Free Batter Mix is savoury and perfect for coating fish, sausage, chicken and vegetables. Made with a blend of quality naturally gluten free flours, raising agent and a pinch of salt ensuring perfect results every time. This product is Vegan, Coeliac UK and Kosher certified.
