Seaweed Tempura Crispy Nori (Print Version)

Crispy fried nori in light tempura batter with savory dipping sauce

# What You’ll Need:

→ Seaweed

01 - 8 large nori sheets

→ Tempura Batter

02 - 3/4 cup all-purpose flour
03 - 1/4 cup cornstarch
04 - 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
05 - 1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt
06 - 3/4 cup plus 1 tablespoon ice-cold sparkling water
07 - 1 large egg yolk, chilled

→ For Frying

08 - 2 cups neutral oil (canola or sunflower)

→ Dipping Sauce

09 - 3 tablespoons soy sauce
10 - 2 tablespoons mirin
11 - 1 tablespoon rice vinegar
12 - 1 teaspoon sugar
13 - 1/2 teaspoon toasted sesame oil
14 - 1 spring onion, finely sliced
15 - 1/2 teaspoon sesame seeds (optional)

# How to Make It:

01 - Combine soy sauce, mirin, rice vinegar, sugar, and sesame oil in a small bowl. Stir until sugar completely dissolves. Add sliced spring onion and sesame seeds. Set aside at room temperature.
02 - Stack all nori sheets together. Using a sharp knife or kitchen scissors, cut each sheet into quarters, creating 32 rectangular pieces total. Keep covered to prevent moisture absorption.
03 - In a large mixing bowl, whisk together all-purpose flour, cornstarch, baking powder, and fine sea salt until thoroughly combined. Ensure no lumps remain in the dry mixture.
04 - Lightly beat the chilled egg yolk in a separate bowl. Add ice-cold sparkling water and mix briefly. Pour the liquid into the dry ingredients and gently fold with chopsticks or fork, leaving the batter slightly lumpy. Do not overmix—batter must remain cold.
05 - Pour neutral oil into a deep, heavy-bottomed pan. Heat to 350°F. Maintain temperature throughout frying process for optimal crispiness.
06 - Working quickly, dip each nori piece into tempura batter, allowing excess to drip off. Immediately slide into hot oil. Fry in small batches to prevent overcrowding—30 to 45 seconds per piece until crisp and lightly golden. Do not let pieces touch in oil.
07 - Remove fried nori with a slotted spoon and transfer to paper towels to drain excess oil. Serve immediately while warm and crispy, accompanied by the dipping sauce.

# Additional Tips::

01 -
  • The contrast between delicate, paper-thin nori and that shatteringly crisp tempura shell is absolutely addictive
  • They come together in under 30 minutes but taste like something from a restaurant kitchen
  • The homemade dipping sauce balances the rich fried coating with bright, tangy flavors
02 -
  • Keep your batter ice-cold right up until frying—I even put my mixing bowl in the freezer for 10 minutes beforehand
  • The sparkling water in the batter is not optional, it creates those signature air bubbles that make tempura so light
  • Do not fry more than 6 to 8 pieces at once, or the oil temperature will drop and your seaweed will turn soggy instead of crisp
03 -
  • Have your station set up before you start frying: batter, nori, hot oil, draining area, and serving platter all within arms reach
  • Use chopsticks or a Japanese spider skimmer for turning the pieces—tongs can sometimes crush the delicate tempura coating
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