Tendon (Tempura Rice Bowl)

Name: Tendon (Tempura Rice Bowl)
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 15 min
Total time: 1 h
Yield: 4 servings
Ingredients: 3 tbsp soy sauce; 3 tbsp sake; 4 tbsp mirin; 1 tbsp light brown sugar; 1 tsp dashi granules; 4 large shrimp; 4 fresh shiitake mushrooms; 4 perilla (shiso) leaves; 1 sheet nori; 2 eggplants; 4 slices kabocha squash; 4 shishito peppers; 150 ml water; 1 egg; 100 ml soda water (or club soda); 150 g cake flour; 30 g cornstarch; 3 Ice cubes; cooking oil; 4 portions cooked Japanese short-grain rice; Japanese chili powder (shichimi togarashi)

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Prep Time
15 mins
Cook Time
15 mins
Additional Time
30 mins
Total Time
1 hr
Servings
4 servings
Course
Main Course
Cuisine
Japanese

Tendon (Tempura Rice Bowl)

Celia Wu

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Ingredients

Servings

Tendon Sauce

3 tbsp soy sauce
3 tbsp sake
4 tbsp mirin
1 tbsp light brown sugar
1 tsp dashi granules

Suggested Tendon Ingredients

4 large shrimp deshelled and deviened (I recommend tiger, white leg or similar)
4 fresh shiitake mushrooms
4 perilla (shiso) leaves
1 sheet nori cut into quarters
2 eggplants Japanese or similar
4 slices kabocha squash skin-on
4 shishito peppers

Tempura Batter

150 ml water chilled
1 egg
100 ml soda water (or club soda) chilled
150 g cake flour plus extra for dusting
30 g cornstarch
3 Ice cubes
cooking oil for deep frying

To Serve

4 portions cooked Japanese short-grain rice
Japanese chili powder (shichimi togarashi)

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Instructions

Place all of the batter ingredients in the refrigerator at least 30 minutes ahead of cooking. I recommend measuring the dry ingredients into a bowl and chilling them in the freezer too. I would also use this time to soak/cook the rice.
To make the sauce, pour 3 tbsp soy sauce, 3 tbsp sake, 4 tbsp mirin, 1 tbsp light brown sugar and 1 tsp dashi granules into a small saucepan. Bring to a boil over medium and let it bubble for 3 minutes before removing from the heat and setting aside to cool.
Wash, dry and cut your tempura ingredients. Make shallow diagonal incisions on the bellies of 4 large shrimp to prevent curling. Cut off the stems and cut 2 eggplants in half lengthways. Trim the stems off 4 fresh shiitake mushrooms. Prepare a plate of flour for dusting.
Start heating a deep pot of cooking oil to 180 °C (356 °F) to 190 °C (374 °F). Once it's hot, whisk 150 ml water and 1 egg in a bowl until foamy. Scoop out the foam and add 100 ml soda water (or club soda). Mix 30 g cornstarch and 150 g cake flour in a bowl, then sift it into the wet ingredients one-third at a time. Draw crosses in the mixture to combine without overmixing (lumps are okay). Add 3 ice cubes to chill it further.
Dust your ingredients with a light layer of flour, then dip them into the batter and place them straight into the oil. I recommend cooking each ingredient in separate batches for accurate cooking times. Shrimp, mushrooms and eggplants take 2-3 minutes, perilla leaves and nori will take about 30 seconds. Fry until crispy and a pale golden color. (If using root vegetables, cooking time depends on thickness and can range from 2-4 minutes.) Once cooked, drain on a wire rack.
When all of your ingredients are cooked, dip a whisk into the leftover batter and sprinkle it over the oil to make tempura flakes. Fry until golden and crispy, then scoop out with a mesh spoon and transfer to a sheet of kitchen paper to absorb excess oil.
Divide 4 portions cooked Japanese short-grain rice into deep serving bowls, sprinkle the tops with tempura flakes and tendon sauce.
Arrange the tempura on top, then pour over the remaining sauce.
Enjoy!