Remove the shrimp heads, devein them, and peel off the shell from the tail to the head. Use a knife to scrape away any dirt or water inside the tail.

Cut a few small incisions along the shrimp, and then place it on the cutting board and snap the shrimp muscle with your finger.

Mix ½ cup cornstarch with a pinch of salt and coat the shrimp with it.

Make the batter. Sieve the cake flour and cornstarch into a mixing bowl. Add the measured egg and ice water into the bowl and gently combine. Don’t over-mix the batter since this will result in too much gluten formation.

Dip the shrimp into the tempura batter and set it on a wire rack or tray. Make sure it is coated entirely.

Heat oil to 340°F-360°F. Gently place the coated shrimp into the hot oil, without overcrowding the oil. Move the shrimp around carefully to prevent sticking.

It’ll take 2-3 minutes to deep-fry one batch. You should wait until the shrimp turn light golden brown and crisp. When they’re ready, the bubbles around them will be less intense, and the shrimp will float a bit more to the top.

Remove the shrimp from the oil with chopsticks or a spider skimmer and transfer to a wire rack.

Serve with your favorite dipping sauce or tempura sauce.