Ten Don (Tempura Bowl)

Shrimp and vegetables coated in a lacy, ultra-crispy batter. Served over pearly rice and drizzled with a dark sauce smelling of fermented soy and reduced mirin.

• Prep time: 25 min
• Cook time: 25 min
• Difficulty: Medium
• Calories: 1640
• Protein: 35 g
• Carbs: 198 g
• Fat: 76 g

Ingredients

• 600 g White rice ( rinsed and drained )
• 12 piece Shrimp ( peeled with tails on )
• 2 piece Eggplant (aubergine) ( cut into fan slices )
• 8 piece shiitake mushroom ( stems removed )
• 300 g Wheat flour ( sifted )
• 2 piece Egg ( whole )
• 400 ml Mineral water ( ice cold )
• 200 ml dashi stock
• 8 tbsp soy sauce
• 8 tbsp mirin
• 2 tbsp White sugar
• 1500 ml Peanut oil ( for frying )
• 100 g Daikon radish ( peeled and grated )

Instructions

1. Cooking the rice

   Rinse the rice under clear water until the starch disappears and the water is clear. Steam it with the same volume of water. The grain should be tender and shiny.

2. Sauce reduction

   In a small saucepan, mix the dashi broth, soy sauce, mirin, and sugar. Bring to a boil and let reduce over low heat until the sauce lightly coats the back of a spoon.

3. Toppings preparation

   Peel the shrimp, leaving the tail. Make small incisions on the belly to straighten them. Cut the eggplant into a fan shape and clean the shiitakes. Peel and finely grate the daikon. Perfectly dry each frying ingredient.

4. Tempura batter

   Beat the egg with very cold mineral water. Pour in the flour all at once. Mix roughly with chopsticks: there should be flour lumps left, this is crucial for the texture.

5. Quick frying

   Heat the oil to 180°C. Lightly flour the ingredients, dip them in the batter, then in the oil. The crust should be pale, light, and crispy. Drain on a rack.

6. Plating

   Fill the bowls with hot rice. Pour a drizzle of sauce. Harmoniously arrange the shrimp and vegetable tempuras. Add a small dollop of grated daikon on the side for freshness and finish with a final drizzle of sauce on top.

Chef's tips

• Do not overmix the batter: flour lumps create air pockets that guarantee lightness.
• The water must be ice cold to create an immediate thermal shock in the 180°C oil.
• If you don't have a thermometer, drop a bit of batter: it should sink then immediately pop back to the surface.

Storage

Tempura does not keep well; it must be eaten immediately. If necessary, put it in a very hot oven for 2 minutes to try and regain some crispness.