Tips for Perfecting Gluten-Free Tempura

When it comes to achieving the perfect tempura, a common tip is to use cold water and flour to prevent gluten activation. This is essential for traditional tempura, as it helps maintain that desirable crispiness. However, with our Casalare Gluten-Free Tempura Flour, you don’t have to worry about temperature! Since it’s gluten-free, you can achieve that perfect crunch without the need for cold ingredients. 

Making tempura at home is easier than you might think, and it’s a fantastic option for a quick midweek meal or topping to your favourite bowl of noodles.

To help you create the perfect crispy tempura you crave, here are our top tips:  

Choose the right Ingredients for Tempura .

Avoid ingredients that have a high-water content and opt for: 

- Thinly sliced vegetables such as sweet potato, pumpkin, potato, carrot, onion, eggplants, green beans, asparagus, avocado, zucchini, mushrooms. 

- Prawns, calamari, white fish 

- Chicken tenderloin or chicken breast

- Extra hard tofu, strained 

- Nori, edible plants/flowers 

Tempura batter  

In a mixing bowl, mix equal parts gluten free tempura flour and water and mix with a fork, spoon or chopsticks until well combined.  The consistency should be like heavy cream. If the batter is too thick, add a little more water (or beer or soda water), if it’s too thin, add some more tempura flour to adjust.  

Oil and Temperature    

Using new (not used) and a good quality neutral flavoured oil (such as sunflower or vegetable oil) is recommended.  For a desired nutty aroma, add 10-20% toasted sesame oil. Add oil in a pot at least 2.5cm in depth or up to ½ of the pot.

If you don’t have thermometer, you can check approximate temperature by dropping a droplet of the batter into the heated oil: 

• If the batter doesn’t float in 10 seconds, it is too low and not suitable for frying.  

• If the batter sinks to the bottom of the pot and slowly rises, it’s still low at about 160 ºC.   

• If the batter floats in the middle of the pot and comes to the surface right away, it’s at a medium heat, about 170 ºC.  

• The batter floats, it’s high, about 180-185 ºC  

• If the temperature becomes too high, remove from the heat, add some more oil to reduce the heat.  

Ingredients	Temperature	Cooking Time
For Vegetables (or fruits)	160-170C	2-3 Minutes
For Prawns, Calamari or Fish	180-185C	1-2 Minutes
For Chicken or Tofu	180-185C	2-3 Minutes

How to fry for perfect Tempura 

Casalare Gluten Free Tempura flour becomes thicker when you start to coat many ingredients, so it is best to check the consistency just before frying.  

• Wipe extra hard tofu with paper towel to remove excess moisture,  

• Lightly spray the skin of vegetables with water and lightly flour with Casalare Gluten Free Tempura Flour just before coating with batter.   

• Do not fry too many ingredients at the same time, this prevents the temperature of the oil dropping too quickly.   

• Do not overcrowd the pot, always keep the temperature steady and fry in small batches.  

• The batter should not be too thick, remove the excess batter just before putting into the oil.   

• Pick up crumbs in the oil between batches.  

With minimal ingredients—just a light batter of flour and water - you can perfect tempura at home in just a few minutes, putting together an easy and elegant meal. Using our gluten-free tempura flour simplifies things even further as you don't need to worry about temperature.

Customise your tempura with various vegetables or proteins to your liking and you can achieve that perfect crispy tempura at home!