Light and crispy Japanese tempura is wonderful with anchovies: it protects their juicy flesh while creating a thin, airy crust. Accompanied by a soy sauce for dipping, it becomes an irresistible Hispano-Japanese fusion bite. The trick is a very cold batter and very hot oil to make it crispy and not greasy at all.
Japanese tempura is the lightest fried food in the world: a crust so thin and airy it seems like edible glass. Applied to Mediterranean anchovies, it creates a perfect contrast of textures: an exterior that crackles and bursts when bitten, revealing a tender, moist anchovy interior. Served with soy sauce for dipping and pickled ginger to cleanse the palate between bites, it is a fusion between two cultures that share the same respect for fresh produce and technical simplicity.
Ingredients
- 400 g fresh anchovies (cleaned, butterflied) (we use Gourmet Pickled Anchovy Fillets)
- 100 g wheat flour
- 50 g cornstarch
- 200 ml ICE-COLD sparkling water (from the freezer, not the fridge)
- 1 egg yolk
- Oil for frying (plenty and clean)
- Japanese soy sauce for dipping
- Pickled ginger (gari)
Step-by-step preparation
- Mix the flours with the egg yolk and the ice-cold sparkling water. Here comes the most counterintuitive rule of cooking: DO NOT overmix. Tempura batter should have lumps. The lumps and the bubbles from the sparkling water are what create the air pockets that make tempura light and crispy. If you beat it until it's smooth and homogeneous, you lose all the bubbles and the tempura comes out heavy, dense, and oily. A few quick stirs with chopsticks and you're done.
- Dry the anchovies thoroughly. Heat clean oil to 180°C.
- Frying: 1-2 minutes maximum. Dip each anchovy in the batter and fry immediately. 1-2 minutes is all a tempura anchovy needs: it's thin and cooks almost instantly. The tempura should be pale golden, almost white with golden spots, not dark. If it darkens, the oil is too hot.
- Drain on a rack. Serve immediately with soy sauce for dipping and pickled ginger on the side. Tempura loses its crispiness in 2 minutes: it's the most ephemeral dish there is.
The house trick
The sparkling water should be ice-cold: put it in the freezer 30 minutes beforehand (without letting it freeze). The difference between cold fridge water (5°C) and almost frozen water (1-2°C) is enormous in the result. And cornstarch mixed with wheat flour is another professional trick: cornstarch produces a crispier and lighter texture than flour alone because it doesn't form as much gluten.
Buy it at BacalaloGourmet Pickled Anchovy Fillets€13.90 · 24-48h refrigerated delivery →Discover our entire collection of Cantabrian Anchovies →
Frequently asked questions
How do I achieve crispy tempura?
Very cold water (with ice), do not overmix the batter (leave lumps), and fry at 180°C. The temperature shock is key.
Which soy sauce should I use for dipping?
A good quality soy sauce, preferably low-sodium, perhaps with a touch of ginger, mirin, or lime to round out the dip.
Are anchovies breaded raw?
Yes, clean, dry, and raw. They cook in seconds inside the tempura.
