Recipe: Crispy Tempura Oysters

If you’ve never tried oysters deep-fried in a light, crunchy tempura batter—now’s the time. This recipe is quick, simple, and the perfect way to enjoy our Sydney Rock oyster meat in a new form. Whether you’re hosting a gathering or just want a fun seafood snack at home, tempura oysters are a satisfying twist on a classic.

 

Our in-store oyster jars are filled with two dozen freshly shucked Sydney Rock oysters—washed in a salted brine and packed in fresh water. These are the ‘imperfect picks’ from our shucking line—torn or nicked oysters that don’t make it to the half shell but still taste just as good. They’re ideal for frying.

 

Ingredients

1 Jar Dawson’s oyster meat (2 dozen oysters)

½ cup cornflour

¼ cup plain flour

½ tsp baking soda

1 egg

½ cup ice-cold water

2/3 cup ice-cold soda water

1 Litre high-smoke point oil (e.g. vegetable or sunflower oil) for deep frying

 

Method

1. Pour your oil in a large pot, and heat over medium high heat (this will take a few minutes). Use a thermometer for accuracy—tempura needs a consistent temperature to stay crisp and light.
2. In a bowl, whisk or beat together the flour, baking soda, salt, and pepper. In a separate bowl, beat the egg and stir in the ice water. Gently combine the wet ingredients into the dry mix, then slowly add soda water, whisking very lightly until the batter resembles pancake batter.
3. One by one, dip the oysters into the batter, then carefully lower into the hot oil. Fry in batches for 3–4 minutes until golden and crisp. Drain on a cooling rack over a baking tray.
4. Serve immediately with lemon wedges and your choice of dipping sauce. Both mayo sauces can be made in advance and kept refrigerated.

Dipping Sauces

 

Spicy Chipotle Mayo

½ cup mayonnaise

1 garlic clove, minced

1 tsp chipotle chili paste or 1 tbs hot sauce of your choice. 

Juice of one lemon

Salt and pepper to taste

 

Wasabi Mint Mayo

½ cup mayonnaise

2 tsp wasabi paste

1/2 bunch mint, roughly chopped

Juice of one lime

1 garlic clove, minced

Salt and pepper to taste

 

A Bit About Tempura

Tempura-style frying dates back to the 16th century when Portuguese traders introduced the technique to Japan. Over time, Japanese cooks refined it—resulting in the light, airy batter we now associate with classic tempura. The key is cold ingredients, minimal mixing, and hot oil.

 

Unlike heavier Western-style batters, tempura is all about keeping the seafood’s texture intact—adding a crisp contrast without masking the flavour. This makes it a great fit for oysters, where you want to highlight their briny richness with just a bit of crunch.

 

Oyster Meat Jars at Dawson’s

The star of this recipe is our jarred Sydney Rock oyster meat, available in-store at Dawson’s. Each jar contains two dozen oysters—washed in a salted brine and packed in fresh water to maintain freshness and flavour.