Fried Shrimp

Ebi Furai – Japanese Fried Shrimp Recipe

Ebi Furai is one of Japan’s popular fried shrimp recipes that coats fresh shrimp in a flavorful batter that is then pressed into breadcrumbs. Fried until crispy, they are an absolute delight. Enjoy them with a delicious tartar sauce for dipping.

Unlike other Japanese fried shrimp recipes, Shrimp Tempura, Ebi Furai tastes different with a thick and crisp breadcrumb crust. It makes the best bento box with a green salad and hot steamed rice. Serving the fried shrimp with a savory mayonnaise dipping sauce balances out the taste and removes the greasiness from frying. The hot shrimp with a cold sauce is excellent!

To make crispy and incredibly delicious Ebi Furai is easy and only takes 15 minutes from start to finish. Have your oil heated and ready before you begin the breading process.

Ingredients for Fried Shrimp

This easy homemade Ebi Furai recipe makes an irresistible dish with only a few simple ingredients.

• Shrimp or tiger prawn
• All-purpose flour
• Salt
• Bonito flakes
• Egg
• Milk
• Panko (Japanese breadcrumbs)
• Vegetable oil

Tartar Dipping Sauce

• Hard-boiled egg
• Yellow onion
• Japanese Kewpie mayonnaise
• Salt
• Ground black pepper

How to Make Japanese Fried Shrimp?

First, clean up the shrimp before coating. Peel the shrimp and leave the tails. Devein and rinse the shrimp. Cut a few shallow vertical slits at the bottom of the shrimp to avoid them from curling up when fried. Pat the shrimp dry with paper towels and set aside.

Next, prepare the batter. Add all-purpose flour, salt, bonito flakes, egg, and milk in a bowl and whisk to combine well. Pour Panko breadcrumbs into a shallow plate and set aside.

Coat the shrimp evenly with the batter by holding the tail to dip into the bowl, and then roll it into the Panko breadcrumbs. Give the shrimp a light press to ensure that the shrimp is entirely covered with the breadcrumbs. Repeat this process for the remaining shrimp.

Fill a deep pot with vegetable oil and heat the oil to 340°F to 360°F (170°C to 182°C).

Deep-fry the shrimp until golden brown and crispy on both sides. Remove from the oil with a strainer and let drain on a plate lined with paper towels.

Prepare the tartar dipping sauce. Cut the hard-boiled egg into small cubes and mix it with chopped onion and Japanese mayonnaise in a bowl. Finally, add salt and ground black pepper to taste.

Cooking Tips

• Adding bonito flakes to the batter is a little trick which makes the fried shrimp more flavorful and tasty.
• Cut a few shallow vertical slits at the bottom of the shrimp to avoid them curling up when fried.
• To make a refreshing dipping sauce, you can also mix minced sweet pickles into the tartar sauce.

Frequently Asked Questions

What Is the Difference between Fried Shrimp and Shrimp Tempura?

The fried shrimp is coated with both batter and panko breadcrumbs, creating a crispy crust after frying. On the other hand, shrimp tempura is fried with a thin batter only, which tastes lighter and airy.

What Are the Good Sauces for Fried Shrimp?

Serve the best Ebi Furai with either Tonkatsu sauce or tartar sauce. You can buy the Tonkatsu sauce in a bottle from Japanese grocery stores or make it yourself with ketchup, Worcestershire sauce, soy sauce, mirin, and sugar.

How Many Calories per Serving?

This recipe has 161 calories in each large fried shrimp.

Serve this dish with other Japanese dishes. For a wholesome Japanese meal and easy weeknight dinner, I recommend the following recipes:

Miso Soup

Chicken Teriyaki

Gyoza

Edamame