This Lobster Tempura recipe is a super crispy and light version of fried lobster bites! With a simple tempura batter and a homemade spicy mayo dipping sauce, this is the perfect appetizer or meal!
Fried lobster bites using tempura batter is perfect for a summertime appetizer, but it is great anytime of year when you can get good quality lobster meat! Because this recipe uses lobster rails, you don't have to worry about dealing with live lobsters, which makes this so much easier!
I love lobster! I have a handful of lobster recipes on my website, check out my Creamy Lobster Ravioli Sauce, Lobster Pasta with Cream Sauce, and my Lobster Pot Pie!
Table of Contents:
🎥 Watch the video of this recipe
🥘 What you need for this recipe
Ingredients
I wanted to keep this recipe simple and straightforward, so the ingredients should be very easy to find!
- Fresh lobster tails
- All-purpose flour
- Egg
- Ice & Water
- Cornstarch
- Neutral oil (Canola or Vegetable)
- Calabrian Chilies
- Egg yolks
- Dijon mustard
- Rice vinegar
- Kosher salt
See recipe card for quantities.
Substitutions
- Lobster - instead of fresh lobster tails, you could always use the meat from a whole lobster, as well as thawed frozen meat. You could also swap this meat for langoustines or shrimp!
- Dipping Sauce - Use something other than calabrian chillies to create a different flavored mayo sauce! You could use lemon juice and zest, fresh herbs like chives and basil or tarragon, or even something like truffle!
📋 How to make Lobster Tempura Bites
Step 1: Make the Spicy Mayo
Begin by making the mayo dipping sauce first, as it will already be done when your lobster is ready to serve.
In a small bowl, add 1 room temperature egg yolk, discarding the whites. Use a whisk to combine the egg yolk with the dijon mustard until fully combined. Slowly whisk in the oil, a small amount at a time to maintain the emulsion.
Once all of the oil is added and it is beginning to resemble a mayonnaise, whisk in the rice vinegar and the calabrian chilies. Stir in the salt and any other flavor additions you'd like. Set aside until ready to serve.
Step 2: Prep the Lobster and Batter
Begin by preparing the lobster tails. First, take scissors and cut down from the top to the end of the tail down the middle. Do this on the top and bottom sides of the shell. Once cut, you should be able to remove the lobster meat all in one piece. Then, cut the lobster into roughly 1-inch pieces. Set aside.
Make the tempura batter by adding 1 large egg and 1 cup of ice-cold water to a large bowl, then whisk to combine, making sure to not over mix. Then, add the flour to the egg-water mix and gently combine (using chopsticks works best) until JUST combined. It is fine for lumps to remain in the batter. Do not over mix.
Fill an even larger bowl with ice cubes and cold water about half-way up. Then, place the bowl of batter on top of the ice-water bowl, to help keep the batter as cold as possible.
Add cornstarch to a small bowl, at least ½ a cup.
Step 3: Fry the Lobster
Add the neutral frying oil to a sauce pot, you want at least 1-2 inches of oil. Heat the oil over medium heat until it reaches between 325-350º Fahrenheit.
You'll need to fry in batches of 3-4 pieces of lobster at a time. Dredge each piece in the bowl of cornstarch, then dunk it into the tempura batter, then drop immediately into the hot oil.
Fry each piece for 1-2 minutes, until the batter is lightly golden, but not browned. It should be a pale gold color, rather than golden brown.
Remove from oil using a slotted spoon and place on a cooling rack with paper towels laying below the rack to catch excess oil. Sprinkle a small pinch of salt onto each piece immediately after removing from oil.
Serve crispy fried lobster while warm with the spicy mayo on the side.
Hint: use an instant-read thermometer to be certain that the oil reaches and maintains the temperature of around 350ºF, without going too high over or under.
Equipment
- 2 small bowls
- Medium bowl
- Large bowl
- Whisk
- Chopsticks
- Deep saucepot
- Instant-read thermometer
- Slotted spoon
- Cooling rack
Storage
The fried lobster will not do well for storing. However, the spicy mayo will last for at least a week in the fridge when stored in an air tight container.
💭 Expert Tips & Tricks
- Many recipes for tempura use soda water. While you can do that if you wish, it isn't necessary. It is more important for the water you use to be very cold, as this will help the tempura remain light while frying.
- I highly recommend using a deep-fry thermometer or instant read thermometer to ensure the accuracy of the high heat oil. If the oil gets too hot or is not hot enough, it will impact the outcome.
- Frying the lobster in batches will yield the best outcome.
Recipe FAQs
Tempura batter is a very simple batter made of just egg, flour, and water. Some recipes use sparkling or soda water, but any water will do.
The key to making a perfect tempura is to keep the batter as cold as you possibly can by mixing the batter in a bowl that is placed over ice/ice water. You may even wish to add an ice cube or two the batter itself, just be sure not to fry the ice cube!
A good tempura batter will seem thin and watery, but that is how it should be. It is okay to have flour clumps in the batter as well, and it is important to not over-mix the batter.
Related Recipes
Looking for other recipes like this? Try these:
📖 Recipe
Lobster Tempura with Spicy Mayo
Ingredients
- 2 Lobster tails meat removed from shell
- 1 cup All-purpose flour 120 grams
- 1 Large egg
- 1 cup Water
- 3-5 Ice cubes plus more for ice bath
- ¼ cup Cornstarch for dredging
- 2 cups Canola oil or vegetable oil
Spicy Mayo
- 1 Egg yolk room temperature
- ½ teaspoon Dijon mustard
- ½ cup Neutral oil
- 1 tablespoon Rice vinegar
- 1 teaspoon Calabrian chilies or more to your preference
- ¼ teaspoon Diamond Crystal kosher salt more to taste
Instructions
Make the Spicy Mayo
- Begin by making the mayo dipping sauce first, as it will already be done when your lobster is ready to serve.
- In a small bowl, add 1 room temperature egg yolk, discarding the whites. Use a whisk to combine the egg yolk with the dijon mustard until fully combined. Slowly whisk in the oil, a small amount at a time to maintain the emulsion.
- Once all of the oil is added and it is beginning to resemble a mayonnaise, whisk in the rice vinegar and the calabrian chilies. Stir in the salt and any other flavor additions you'd like. Set aside until ready to serve.
Make the Tempura Batter
- Begin by preparing the lobster tails. First, take scissors and cut down from the top to the end of the tail down the middle. Do this on the top and bottom sides of the shell. Once cut, you should be able to remove the lobster meat all in one piece. Then, cut the lobster into roughly 1-inch pieces. Set aside.
- Make the tempura batter by adding 1 large egg and 1 cup of ice-cold water to a large bowl, then whisk to combine, making sure to not over mix. Then, add the flour to the egg-water mix and gently combine (using chopsticks works best) until JUST combined. It is fine for lumps to remain in the batter. Do not over mix.
- Fill an even larger bowl with ice cubes and cold water about half-way up. Then, place the bowl of batter on top of the ice-water bowl, to help keep the batter as cold as possible.
- Add cornstarch to a small bowl, at least ½ a cup.
Fry the Lobster
- Add the neutral frying oil to a sauce pot, you want at least 1-2 inches of oil. Heat the oil over medium heat until it reaches between 325-350º Fahrenheit.
- You'll need to fry in batches of 3-4 pieces of lobster at a time. Dredge each piece in the bowl of cornstarch, then dunk it into the tempura batter, then drop immediately into the hot oil.
- Fry each piece for 1-2 minutes, until the batter is lightly golden, but not browned. It should be a pale gold color, rather than golden brown.
- Remove from oil using a slotted spoon and place on a cooling rack with paper towels laying below the rack to catch excess oil. Sprinkle a small pinch of salt onto each piece immediately after removing from oil.
- Serve crispy fried lobster while warm with the spicy mayo on the side.
Notes
- Many recipes for tempura use soda water. While you can do that if you wish, it isn't necessary. It is more important for the water you use to be very cold, as this will help the tempura remain light while frying.
- I highly recommend using a deep-fry thermometer or instant read thermometer to ensure the accuracy of the high heat oil. If the oil gets too hot or is not hot enough, it will impact the outcome.
- Frying the lobster in batches will yield the best outcome.
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