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A finished plate of Japanese ebi fry — golden panko-fried shrimp served on a blue and white plate with shredded cabbage, cucumber, and a generous side dish of homemade tartar sauce on a wooden tray

Ebi Fry (Japanese Panko-Fried Shrimp with Tartar Sauce)

Japanese-style breaded fried shrimp with a shaggy panko crust and a generous side of homemade tartar sauce — a yoshoku classic that's a Japanese home cooking and bento favourite.
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Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 5 minutes
Total Time 25 minutes
Servings: 2 servings
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: Japanese
Ingredients Method

Ingredients
  

  • 6–8 pieces large shrimp peeled with tails on
  • 1 tbsp potato starch (katakuriko) for cleaning
  • 1 tsp salt for cleaning
  • 3–4 tbsp all-purpose flour for breading
  • 1 egg beaten, for breading
  • 1 cup panko breadcrumbs
  • neutral oil for deep frying
  • 2 eggs hard-boiled, for tartar sauce
  • 1/4 onion finely minced, for tartar sauce
  • 1–2 tbsp parsley finely chopped, for tartar sauce
  • 4 tbsp Kewpie Japanese mayonnaise for tartar sauce
  • 1/2 tsp lemon juice for tartar sauce
  • salt to taste, for tartar sauce

Method
 

  1. Peel and devein the shrimp, leaving the tails on. Trim the sharp tail tip. Make 3–4 shallow cuts on the belly to prevent curling.
  2. Massage the shrimp with 1 tbsp potato starch and 1 tsp salt for 30 seconds. Rinse thoroughly under cold water and pat completely dry with paper towels.
  3. For the tartar sauce: soak minced onion in cold water for 5 minutes, then drain and squeeze dry between paper towels. Chop the hard-boiled eggs and parsley finely. Mix all tartar ingredients in a bowl with Kewpie mayo, lemon juice, and salt to taste. Refrigerate.
  4. Set up a breading station with flour, beaten egg, and panko. Coat each shrimp in flour (shake off excess), then dip in egg, then press firmly into panko.
  5. Heat oil to 170–180°C (340–355°F). Fry shrimp for 2–3 minutes total, turning once, until deep golden brown. Drain on a wire rack.
  6. Serve immediately with chilled tartar sauce, shredded cabbage, and a lemon wedge if you have one.