What is the primary flour used in tempura batter?

The primary flour used in tempura batter is wheat flour. Japanese tempura batter is typically made from soft wheat flour, iced water, and egg, producing the thin, delicate coating associated with the dish.

Tempura cooks usually mix the batter only briefly, often with chopsticks, leaving small lumps rather than creating a smooth mixture. Keeping the batter cold and avoiding overmixing limits gluten development in the wheat flour. That helps the coating fry into a light, crisp shell instead of becoming chewy or doughy.

Specially formulated tempura flour is also sold in Japan and elsewhere. It is generally a low-gluten wheat flour and may contain leavening agents. Potato starch, cornstarch, or rice flour can appear in variations to increase crispness, but they do not replace wheat flour as the standard primary flour. Tempura is also distinct from Japanese furai dishes, which use breadcrumbs such as panko.