Are you a fan of good tempura? If so, you're in for an awesome treat! Deep-fried Crawfish Tempura with a Spicy Aoili is a delicious appetizer that combines tender seafood with the crunch of golden brown tempura batter. These bite-sized morsels just melt in your mouth. With simple ingredients that you can find online or at your local grocery store, you can make perfect tempura batter at home and enjoy some exquisite crawfish tempura.
Crawfish are small crustaceans that resemble miniature lobsters. They are found in freshwater environments such as rivers, streams and lakes. They are also known for their tender and flavorful meat, making them a popular ingredient in a variety of dishes and cuisines.
Crawfish are tender and sweet, much like lobster, and they make absolutely wonderful tempura. They are also bite-sized already, so no need to cut them up. Crawfish tempura is perfect for a special occasion or anytime you are just raving some darn good tempura. This is one of the best appetizers on this website.
This was inspired by my recipes for Lobster Tempura, Chicken Fried Lobster and Crispy Fried Artichoke Hearts.
Where to Find Crawfish
You can find live crawfish in the South but may need to buy 50 pounds of them and then you get to clean them. Or, buy shelled and deveined frozen crawfish tail meat. They are available at better markets and many online specialty stores. These were found in the seafood department of my local market in Austin, TX.
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Ingredients
- Crawfish Tempura
- Good quality tempura batter mix
- Crawfish tail meat
- Canola oil for frying
- Spicy Aioli Dipping Sauce
- Mayonnaise
- Lime juice
- Fresh chives
- Cayenne pepper
- Black pepper
- Kosher salt
See recipe card for quantities.
Instructions
The Secret to Making Great Tempura
Actually, there are a few secrets. Light and fluffy tempura batter is the key to great tempura. First, make sure that whatever you are going to fry is very cold. Keep the thawed crawfish in an ice bath in the refrigerator until it is time to make the tempura.
Second, use the best tempura mix that you can find. Sure, you can make your own but I don't think tempura batter from scratch is nearly as good as a high-end mix. But not any store-bought tempura batter mix will do. I have tried all of the tempura batter mixes at my local grocery store and was disappointed in all of them. They were either too thin or too thick and they did not taste right. A local Japanese specialty store carried an imported tempura batter mix that produces some of the best tempura I have ever had. It's not very expensive and well worth it.
Third, make the tempura batter with very cold water. For the best results, use very cold club soda (soda water). The bubbles in club soda make the batter a bit lighter and fluffier. If you have a soda stream, use it to make plain soda water and refrigerate it until it's very cold.
Excellent tempura batter found at a Japanese grocery store in Austin,
TX. It can also be found online.
Keep the batter cold. Mix the batter in a small bowl then place that bowl inside a large bowl that has been partially filled with crushed ice and a small amount of water. Ice water will keep the batter nice and cold why you fry several batches of crawfish.
Cooking the Tempura
Dredge the cold crawfish tail meat in dry tempura batter mix.
Then dredge the crawfish in wet tempura batter.
Drop the coated crawfish into the hot oil and cook until golden brown. Don't over crowd the fryer. Move the crawfish around with a chopstick every 15 seconds to make sure they don't stick together. The cooking time is about 3-5 minutes, but may vary depending on the temperature of the oil.
Drain hot crawfish tempura on paper towels for 30 seconds to absorb any excess oil.
Serve with the spicy aioli dipping sauce or just tempura sauce. Both are good.
Substitutions
Once you have mastered making good tempura batter, use the same technique for Lobster Tempura. Also try:
- Shrimp - Shelled and deveined, either cut in half or place a thin wooden skewer down the center of the shrimp and out the tail before frying. That will help the shrimp stay straight after frying. Carefully remove the skewer before serving. It will be hot.
- Sweet Potatoes - Peeled and cut into ¼" pieces.
- Sweet Onion - Cut into ½" thick rings.
- Broccoli Florets - Just the top portion.
- Asparagus - Break off the bottom portion of the stem and discard.
- Mushrooms - Wiped clean and stem trimmed.
Equipment
The tempura in this recipe was made in a small commercial deep fryer that I found online at a restaurant supply store. Great tempura can also be made in a large pot filled with no more than 2 inches of oil at 350°F. The reason that it should not be filled more than that is because hot oil is a major fire risk. If the pot is too full the oil will spill out, run onto the burner and ignite. I have ruined more than one burner that way. Look up fried turkey fires on YouTube to see what I am talking about.
If you are using a pot on your stove top, definitely invest in a cooking spider. This little tool helps you scoop out all of the tempura in one or two passes, preventing some from being overdone.
Storage
Leftover tempura can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for one day, but it, doesn't really store well. Reheat in the oven at 275°F for 10-12 minutes. Don't expect it to be anything like what it was the first time. Better off making fresh.
Top Tip
Buy the crawfish tails already shelled and deveined. They are a lot less work than preparing lobster or shrimp tempura.
Final Thoughts
Crawfish tempura is a delightful seafood appetizer that's perfect for a special occasion or as an appetizer to impress your family and friends. With simple ingredients and a little bit of patience, you can make awesome tempura at home. So, grab your apron, heat up that oil, and treat yourself to this delicious seafood treat. Enjoy!
Related
Looking for other recipes like this? Try these:
- Crispy Fried Artichoke Hearts with Panko & Parmesan
- Scrumptious Lobster Tempura
- Chicken Fried Lobster
- The Easiest Way to Make Perfectly Crispy Crab Cakes
- Spicy Chorizo Empanadas
- Irresistible Thyme Cheese Puffs
- Ultimate Queso Fundido with Chorizo: The Perfect Party Appetizer
- Brined and Smoked Chicken Wings - Texas Style
Delectable Deep Fried Crawfish Tempura with a Spicy Aioli Recipe
Ingredients
Crawfish Tempura
- 1 cup tempura batter mix
- 12 oz crawfish meat peeled and deveined
- canola oil for frying
Spicy Aioli
- ½ cup mayonnaise
- 1 tbs lime juice
- 1 tbs chives chopped
- ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper fresh ground
- ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
Instructions
Tempura Crawfish
- Preheat oil in a large pot of deep fryer to 375˚ F. Prepare the batter using ice cold water or, better yet, ice cold soda water. The soda water bubble make the tempura batter lighter and fluffier. Keep the batter cold by placing it in an ice filled dish.
- Coat the crawfish first in dry batter mix, then in the tempura batter.
- Carefully drop it into the hot oil. Gently stir the crawfish after they are in the oil to separate the pieces and prevent clumping. Fry until golden brown, about 3 minutes.
- Serve with tempura sauce or spicy aioli.
Spicy Aioli
- Mix mayonnaise, lime juice chives, black pepper, salt and cayenne.
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