Do you like Shrimp Tempura and Ebi Fry and wonder why the shrimps are so straight?
How do we make this signature shape? It’s very easy to do! I’ll show you how to do it in the step-by-step tutorial here.
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How To Prepare Shrimp For Shrimp Tempura & Ebi Fry
Shrimp for Shrimp Tempura and Ebi Fry is always straight. Here‘s how you prepare it.
Ingredients
- large shrimp or prawns
- potato starch or cornstarch
- 1–2 Tbsp sake
Japanese Ingredient Substitution: If you want substitutes for Japanese condiments and ingredients, click here.
Instructions
- Pull off the head of the large shrimp or prawns if it is still attached. Pull off the outer shell. Keep the last segment of shell and the tail tip on.
- Devein the back of shrimp with a skewer. The vein runs right along the back. Insert the tip of the skewer sideways about ½ inch (1.3 cm) down from the head of the shrimp and pull the skewer tip up towards you. This will lift up the vein and you can pull off the vein with the skewer or with your hand. If the vein is broken, then insert again a bit lower towards the tail. If you can’t find the vein, then don’t worry about it.
- Make a couple of slits underside. Hold the shrimp with both hands and bend it backward (belly-up) to make it straight. Straighten the shrimp as much as possible in order to get the desired shape.
- Cut the tip of the shrimp tail as you see below.
- Remove dirty water in the tail by holding the tip of the knife down on the tail and moving it from left to right (see #1) squeezing the water out from the cut tip. If you skip this process, water retained in the tail might create splatter in the oil. Then take off the shell from the middle tail. You just need to pull it out (see #2).
- Sprinkle some potato starch or cornstarch and coat the shrimp. The starch will absorb the smell and dirt from the shrimp. Rinse the shrimp under running water.
- Add 1–2 Tbsp sake and rub with your hands. Discard the liquid after 10 minutes (no need to rinse).
- Now, the prawns or shrimp are ready for Shrimp Tempura or Ebi Fry.
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Thank you for these clear instructions. It was always a mystery to me how restaurants served ‘straight’ shrimp.
You did a great job explaining it.
Thank you
Hi Judith, Thank you very much for your kind feedback! We hope you enjoy homemade Shrimp Tempura!😊
Do you have this on YouTube? It would be really helpful, I think 🙂
Hi Cynthia! Sorry, not this one… 🙁
[…] prepare shrimp, read step-by-step instructions with pictures on How To Prepare Shrimp for Shrimp Tempura to make shrimp […]
Hi I am unable to get a hold of potato or corn starch or tapioca starch what else can I use please
Hi Janet! You can use flour and salt if you like. Potato/corn starch comes off quickly and easily when it’s wet, but the flour tends to get stuck on the shrimp. That’s why it requires salt along with flour. 🙂
[…] Ebi fry’s prawns are very straight. Here’s how we prepare prawns (click HERE). […]
Late post pass lol, but what does adding the sake do? is it ok to omit?
Hi Robby! You can omit, but in Japanese cooking, sake is an important condiment. In this case, it removes the unwanted odor from the shrimp.
When alcohol evaporate, it removes the unwanted smell as well. It really works! And it also gives some umami and tenderize.
https://www.justonecookbook.com/pantry_items/sake/
Very helpful! Thank you!
Thanks Adam! 🙂
Namieko, I have not contacted your site for a long while-but ,for sure, I still follow your site regurarily. Question:I cannot straighten shrimp. without them breaking. Do you actually nickor cut the 2 black belly tendons? When I do,mostly they break ,in half with only some flesh holding together. Or do you just stretch the tendons, without actually cutting?
Hi Don! I make slits on the belly side. Not cutting through – maybe 1/3 of shrimp gets slits? (sounds like brutal conversation…).
Then gently press upward to straighten. You can keep the shrimp on the board to straightening it too, pressing the curved area.
Hope this helps… Try making shallow slit next time? 🙂