How do I get cruncy tempura?

[Hanzo]

I would like to make chicken and shrimps with the same cruncy tempura you can get at a good chinese restaurant, but sadly my attemps are nothing like that. Normaly I get a a crust that falls off way to easy, is very thin and often soggy. What I do is mix a egg, dip whatever I'm making in the egg, then into AP flour. From there it's into the deep fryer and over to some papertowl to dry up the excess oil.

I have heard that some use bakingpower in the tempura mix, and also that the paper towl are a bad idea? Anyone got a good way to get more autentic tempura?

[Salty dog]

Buy a product called "Fry Crisp", a lot of grocery stores carry it. It's not official "tempura" but it works for gringos. Just don't make the mixture too thick.

[PierreRodrigue]

Use corn starch. 3 to 1 with AP flour.

[mhlee]

Instead of water, use seltzer water or club soda (but when using club soda, make sure to taste your batter so that it's not too salty because club soda has salt). Also, using ice cold water (or seltzer water or club soda). It allows some of the batter to disburse from the food before setting, creating that web of crispy batter associated with tempura.

And +1 to Salty's recommendation. The batter cannot be too thick. It should actually be somewhat thin.

[JBroida]

thin, barely mixed combo of ice water, egg yolk, and flour... proper oil temp works too. Food goes in at 175c and comes out at 180c

[Andrew H]

I'm a fan of Alton's recipe, which calls for rice flour, seltzer and vodka.
Edit:
http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/a...ipe/index.html

[SpikeC]

I was wondering if someone would mention rice flour................

[cnochef]

Thin rice flour batter and COLD water are the keys, no matter what recipe you use.

[ecchef]

Like they says, thin batter. Jon got it right...BARELY MIXED. Even a little lumpy is fine. And the correct temp.

[Citizen Snips]

i would use jons suggestion but add soda water or better yet, beer