Shrimp Tempura Udon Noodle Soup (Ebiten Udon)

Method18 steps

1. 1

   Step 1: Sift the 75 g cake flour and 15 g batter cornstarch together. Refrigerate the dry mixture, the separate 75 ml water and the unopened carbonated-water bottle for at least 30 minutes. Keep them separate and prepare the shrimp while they chill.

   Chill batter ingredients · 30 minUses 75 ml chilled water for batter · 50 ml chilled carbonated water · 75 g cake flour for batter · 15 g cornstarch for batter

   
2. 2

   Step 2: Remove the shells from all eight shrimp, leaving the tails on, and devein them. Keep the shrimp cold throughout preparation.

   Uses 8 large raw black tiger shrimp, shells removed with tails left on

   
3. 3

   Step 3: Rub the shelled shrimp with the separate 2 pinches cleaning salt and 1 tsp cleaning cornstarch. Leave for a few minutes, keeping the shrimp refrigerated.

   Uses Shelled and deveined raw shrimp · 2 pinches salt for cleaning shrimp · 1 tsp cornstarch for cleaning shrimp

   
4. 4

   Step 4: Rinse the rubbed shrimp thoroughly with cold water and pat dry with kitchen paper.

   Uses Shrimp with their cleaning salt and cornstarch · Cold water for rinsing the shrimp; drain after rinsing

   
5. 5

   Step 5: For each shrimp, fold the tail in half lengthways and trim its diagonal point to release trapped water.

   Uses Rinsed and dried raw shrimp

   
6. 6

   Step 6: Make shallow belly cuts about 1 cm apart and halfway through each shrimp. Straighten gently, pressing along the back as the author describes. Rinse away any remaining debris, pat thoroughly dry and keep refrigerated until frying.

   Uses Tail-trimmed raw shrimp · Cold water for rinsing the shrimp; drain after rinsing

   
7. 7

   Step 7: Once the batter ingredients have chilled and the shrimp are prepared, heat enough deep-frying oil in a suitable pan to 180°C (356°F). Watch the oil and check its temperature.

   Uses Oil suitable for deep-frying, enough for the pan

   
8. 8

   Step 8: Choose one batter binder: ½ tbsp Japanese mayonnaise or ½ whisked egg. Whisk the chosen binder into the chilled 75 ml water until incorporated, then gently mix in the chilled 50 ml carbonated water.

   Uses Chilled batter water · Chilled carbonated water · ½ tbsp Japanese mayonnaise, only if this binder is chosen · ½ whisked egg, only if this binder is chosen

   
9. 9

   Step 9: Add the chilled flour-and-cornstarch mixture to the liquid in three additions, stirring roughly with chopsticks. Leave small lumps rather than beating smooth. Add the optional couple of ice cubes only if needed to keep the batter cold.

   Uses Chosen binder and chilled batter liquids · Chilled sifted cake flour and batter cornstarch · A couple of ice cubes, only if needed to keep the batter cold

   
10. 10

    Step 10: Check the oil with a small drop of the prepared batter: it should sink slightly then rise and sizzle. Lightly dust the dry prepared shrimp with the all-purpose flour, shaking off excess.

    Uses Heated frying oil · A small batter drop for testing · Dry prepared raw shrimp · All-purpose flour, enough to dust the shrimp lightly

    
11. 11

    Step 11: Dip the flour-dusted shrimp in a thin coating of batter and lower them carefully into the 180°C oil. Fry no more than four at once. For the optional blooming effect, drizzle a little of the same batter around the shrimp. Keep unused batter refrigerated between batches.

    Uses Flour-dusted shrimp for this batch · Hot tested frying oil · Batter for coating and optional blooming

    
12. 12

    Step 12: Fry each batch for about 2 minutes, until the coating is crisp and the shrimp flesh is firm, pearly and opaque. Lift out before the coating becomes deeply golden and drain on a wire rack. Repeat with the remaining prepared shrimp and batter, returning the oil to 180°C between batches, until all eight shrimp are cooked through.

    Check shrimp tempura · 2 minUses Shrimp currently frying · Remaining flour-dusted shrimp, if another batch is needed · Remaining batter for later batches

    
13. 13

    Step 13: Prepare all four portions of udon according to their packet, using water as directed. Drain and rinse with hot water to remove excess starch, then drain again. Keep the noodles hot for serving.

    Uses 4 portions udon noodles, prepared according to their packet · Water as needed to prepare the udon according to its packet and rinse the cooked noodles with hot water; drain

    
14. 14

    Step 14: Bring the 1 litre ready dashi stock to a boil. Add the 75 ml soy sauce and 2 tbsp mirin, then boil for 2–3 minutes.

    Boil udon broth · 2 minUses 1 litre ready fish-containing dashi stock · 75 ml Japanese soy sauce · 2 tbsp mirin

    
15. 15

    Step 15: Turn off the heat and stir the separate ½ tsp broth salt into the hot broth until dissolved.

    Uses Boiled dashi, soy sauce and mirin broth · ½ tsp salt for broth

    
16. 16

    Step 16: Divide the hot drained udon among four bowls and pour the hot seasoned broth over it.

    Uses All cooked, rinsed and drained udon · All hot seasoned udon broth

    
17. 17

    Step 17: Top each bowl with two cooked shrimp tempura and chopped green onions. Add 2–3 kamaboko slices per bowl and shichimi to taste if using. Alternatively, serve the shrimp tempura on the side to keep the coating crisp. Serve immediately.

    Uses Four bowls of udon and broth · All eight cooked and drained shrimp tempura · Finely chopped green onions, to taste for topping · Kamaboko fish cake, 2–3 slices per bowl if using · Shichimi togarashi, to taste if using

18. 18

    Step 18: For leftovers, keep the broth, noodles and shrimp tempura separate. Cool promptly and refrigerate in covered containers at 4°C or below; use within 3–4 days. The tempura can also be frozen and later reheated until hot through and crisp. Discard leftover raw batter that has contacted shrimp.

    Uses Any leftover cooked broth, noodles and shrimp tempura