Crispy Seaweed Tempura Snack (Printable)

Light, crispy fried nori sheets paired with a savory umami dipping sauce for a delicious snack.

# Components:

→ 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 such as 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

# Directions:

01 - In a small bowl, combine soy sauce, mirin, rice vinegar, sugar, and sesame oil. Stir until sugar dissolves completely. Add sliced spring onion and sesame seeds if using. Set aside.
02 - Stack the nori sheets and cut each into quarters to create 32 pieces total.
03 - In a mixing bowl, whisk together flour, cornstarch, baking powder, and salt until well combined.
04 - In a separate bowl, lightly beat the chilled egg yolk, then add the ice-cold sparkling water. Pour this mixture into the flour blend and gently mix with chopsticks or a fork. Do not overmix; the batter should remain slightly lumpy and cold.
05 - Heat the oil in a deep, heavy-bottomed pan to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
06 - Dip each nori piece quickly into the tempura batter, allowing excess to drip off, and immediately slide it into the hot oil. Fry in batches to avoid crowding, approximately 30 to 45 seconds per piece, until crisp and lightly golden.
07 - Remove fried nori with a slotted spoon and drain on paper towels. Serve warm with the prepared dipping sauce.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • The batter stays impossibly light because we use sparkling water and refuse to overmix—it's the secret restaurants guard jealously.
  • Nori transforms from something you chew in sushi rolls into a shatteringly crisp, addictive snack that disappears in minutes.
  • Start to finish is barely 25 minutes, yet it tastes like you've been in the kitchen all afternoon.
02 -
  • Temperature is everything—if your oil isn't hot enough, the nori absorbs oil and becomes chewy instead of crisp, no matter how perfect the batter is.
  • Ice-cold batter is non-negotiable; warm ingredients create gluten that makes the coating tough and chewy rather than tender and light.
03 -
  • Keep your oil at a consistent temperature by adding pieces slowly and letting it recover between batches; a thermometer takes the guesswork out.
  • Don't discard leftover batter—it keeps refrigerated for a day and is perfect for tempering vegetables or thin-sliced fish the next day.
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