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–+ servings

Anago no Tempura (Conger Eel Tempura)

Prep Time40 minutes
Cook Time20 minutes
Total Time1 hour
Author Yuto Omura
Servings 4 servings

Ingredients 
 

  • 4 conger eel fillets whitespotted, butterflied fillets (see note)
  • 2 tbsp salt
  • cooking oil neutral flavor for deep frying
  • cake flour or starch for dusting

Tempura Batter

  • 75 ml cold water chilled
  • 50 ml carbonated water chilled
  • 1 egg yolk
  • 15 g cornstarch
  • 75 g cake flour
  • ice cubes

Serving suggestion (optional)

  • tempura dipping sauce (tentsuyu)
  • salt
  • grated daikon radish (daikon oroshi)

Instructions 

  • Before starting this recipe, be sure to chill all of the tempura ingredients thoroughly (including the dry ingredients - I put them in the freezer).
    While you wait, place 4 conger eel fillets in a bowl and sprinkle with 2 tbsp salt. Massage the salt over the fillets to help break down the slimy layer on the surface, then wash thoroughly with running water.
    rubbing conger eel with salt in a mixing bowl
  • Lay the conger eel fillets flat on a cutting board with the skin side facing up. Cover it with kitchen paper, then pour hot water (around 70 °C (158 °F)) over the top to reveal the slime which will turn white.
    pouring boiling water over conger eels covered with kitchen paper
  • Use the blunt side of a knife to gently scrape off the slime, then dry them thoroughly with kitchen paper.
    scraping slime off of raw conger eels using the back of a knife
  • If your fillets are particularly thick, make small vertical cuts along the flesh side about 3-4mm apart and a little over halfway through the flesh. This will break any remaining small bones.
    the fleshy side of conger eel on a white chopping board
  • Cut the fillets into 15cm/6" pieces, or your preferred size that fits inside your cooking pot.
    conger eel cut into pieces on a white chopping board ready for tempura
  • Start heating your cooking oil to 180 °C (356 °F) - 190 °C (374 °F). Dust the surface of the eel fillets with a thin layer cake flour and brush off any excess.
    conger eel pieces coated in flour on a round brown plate
  • When your oil is almost ready, take a mixing bowl and add 75 ml cold water, 50 ml carbonated water and 1 egg yolk straight from the fridge. Whisk gently until combined.
    whisking egg yolk and chilled water in a bowl to make tempura batter
  • Mix 15 g cornstarch and 75 g cake flour together in a small bowl, then add it to the egg mixture in 3 batches. Rather than whisking, use chopsticks to draw crosses in the mixture until there is no more dry flour. Lumps are perfectly okay, do not overmix.
    egg, water and flour in a bowl, drawing crosses in the mixture with chopsticks to make tempura batter
  • If you are making multiple batches or are in a warm environment, add a few ice cubes to the batter.
    tempura batter in a bowl with ice cubes
  • Once the oil is hot, dip the flour-dusted eel fillets in the batter and then place them straight into the pot. Fry in batches to avoid overcrowding the pot.
    placing tempura battered conger eel in pot of oil
  • After 1 minute, sprinkle a small amount of extra batter over the fillets for added texture.
    sprinkling conger eel tempura with extra tempura batter
  • Fry for about 3-5 minutes or until the batter becomes lightly browned, then transfer to a wire rack to drain the excess oil.
    Tempura conger eel on a wire rack to drain excess oil
  • Serve immediately with tempura dipping sauce (tentsuyu), a sprinkle of salt, and some grated daikon radish (daikon oroshi). Enjoy!
    two pieces of conger eel tempura on a rectangular plate with tempura dipping sauce and grated daikon on a perilla leaf top down

Notes

  • You can use other kinds of conger eel, but cooking time and serving number might change depending on size and thickness.
  • Egg yolk can be replaced with 2 tsp of egg mayonnaise (this is convenient if you want to half the recipe and use 1 tsp mayonnaise).
  • If you're looking for an eggless tempura batter, check out my shojin age recipe.
  • Serve Anago no Tempura with tempura rice bowl (tendon), kake udon or zaru soba.
  • Leftover tempura batter can be used for other ingredients such as shrimp, eggplant, sweet potato etc. You can also make your own tenkasu (tempura flakes) to serve with udon and soba.