Jung Ho-young's Bittergourd and Black Tiger Shrimp Tempura

Name: Jung Ho-young's Bittergourd and Black Tiger Shrimp Tempura
Cook time: 30 min
Total time: 30 min
Yield: 2 servings
Cuisine: Korean
Ingredients: bittergourd 6 pieces; black tiger shrimp 6 pieces; all-purpose flour (or tempura flour) as needed; ice water as needed; vegetable oil generously; salt a pinch

A premium Japanese-style tempura featuring fresh spring bittergourd and plump black tiger shrimp, coated in delicate snowflake-like batter and deep-fried to a crisp perfection.

🙋 Recommended for

⭐ Those who want to transform fragrant spring bittergourd from ordinary raw seafood into a crispy, luxurious gourmet dish.
⭐ Home cooks aiming to master the authentic, crackling snowflake tempura technique typically found in high-end Japanese restaurants.
⭐ People planning gatherings or special dinner parties seeking an elegant, unique, and premium weekend appetizer to elevate the atmosphere.

30 min Difficulty Hard Meat & mains

Main ingredients 🥩

bittergourdshrimptempura flour

Tags 🏷️

seasonal cooking tempura master chef technique

Detailed recipeQuick recipe

Ingredients needed 🛒2 servings

bittergourd 6 pieces
black tiger shrimp 6 pieces
all-purpose flour (or tempura flour) as needed
ice water as needed
vegetable oil generously

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Crispy Japanese-style shrimp tempura made with black tiger shrimp, neatly laid out in a straight line and enjoyed with the head separately.

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Recipe 🍳

Trim away the tough woody base of the bittergourd and peel off the outer skin, then gently scrape the fibrous ridges along the stem with the back of a knife to soften the tough texture.
Make a shallow cut along the sharp dorsal side of the shrimp to remove the intestinal vein cleanly, then peel off the legs and body shell in sequence.
The triangular-shaped water sac located at the center of the shrimp tail must be cut off with scissors or a knife to completely eliminate moisture, preventing splattering during frying.
After making diagonal cuts across each segment of the shrimp belly, place it on the cutting board and press down gently with your fingers until you hear a soft cracking sound, stretching the shrimp into a straight, elongated shape.
Insert the straightened shrimp body into the naturally open gaps between the bittergourd stems, securing them firmly in place.
Pour cold ice water into a bowl, add all-purpose flour (or tempura flour), and mix lightly with chopsticks just enough to barely see dry flour—avoid overmixing to prevent gluten development and toughness.
Brush a thin, even layer of dry flour onto the surface of the bittergourd-shrimp assembly, then dip lightly into the chilled batter mixture to coat evenly.
Carefully lower the ingredients into preheated oil at 170–180 degrees Celsius, and while heating, sprinkle the batter surface lightly with fingertips to create a rich, flaky snowflake pattern characteristic of authentic Japanese tempura.
When the ingredients float to the surface, remove them briefly from the oil to let them rest in air before returning for a second fry—this removes excess oil and enhances crispness.
Transfer the golden, light tempura to a wire rack to drain excess oil, then serve on a plate, garnished with a fine pinch of salt to preserve the natural spring aroma and sweetness of the bittergourd.

Remove the internal vein and water sac from the shrimp tail, then press the belly side to stretch the shrimp into a long, straight form. Scrape the bittergourd ridges to soften texture.
Insert the stretched shrimp into the bittergourd stem gaps, secure them, dust with dry flour, then coat lightly with a hastily mixed chilled batter made with ice water.
Fry twice in 180-degree oil, sprinkling the batter to form snowflake patterns, then serve with a pinch of salt.

Cooking tips 💡

The water sac at the shrimp tail is full of liquid—leaving it intact will cause violent splattering when fried, so always remove it beforehand for safety.
Over-mixing the batter creates lumps and activates starch in the flour, resulting in a hard, chewy texture like a cookie; the key is to mix only slightly, keeping the batter loose and icy.
While regular tempura sauce works well, for stronger-flavored mountain vegetable tempura, dipping into finely ground salt brings out the bright, slightly bitter freshness of the bittergourd and the juicy richness of the shrimp.

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