Night Lantern Izakaya · Main dishes

Shrimp & Sweet Potato Tempura Udon

Name: Shrimp & Sweet Potato Tempura Udon
Total time: 55 min
Yield: 4 servings
Ingredients: 16 whole Large shrimp, peeled and deveined, tails on; 150 g Sweet potato; 100 g All-purpose flour; 25 g Cornstarch; 1 whole Egg yolk; 180 ml Ice-cold sparkling water; 1 L Neutral oil, for deep frying; 4 portion Frozen udon noodles; 1.6 L Water, for the broth; 2 tsp Instant dashi granules; 60 ml Soy sauce; 60 ml Mirin; 0.5 tsp Salt; 3 whole Green onions; 1 pinch Shichimi togarashi

Thick, slippery udon noodles in a hot, savoury dashi broth, crowned with lacy, ultra-light tempura shrimp and sweet potato that stay crisp right until the first bite.

55 minutes · Medium · 4 servings

Original house recipe · Not yet kitchen-tested

Ingredients

Large shrimp, peeled and deveined, tails on16 whole
Sweet potato150 g
All-purpose flour100 g
Cornstarch25 g
Egg yolk1 whole
Ice-cold sparkling water180 ml
Neutral oil, for deep frying1 L
Frozen udon noodles4 portion
Water, for the broth1.6 L
Instant dashi granules2 tsp
Soy sauce60 ml
Mirin60 ml
Salt0.5 tsp
Green onions3 whole
Shichimi togarashi1 pinch

Quantities describe recipe usage, not package sizes.

Allergen notes

Crustacean shellfish (shrimp), wheat (flour, udon, soy sauce), egg, soy and fish (dashi granules).

Method

Make the broth

In a large pot, combine the 1.6 L water, dashi granules, soy sauce, mirin and salt. Bring to a simmer, taste, and keep hot over low heat.

Prep the shrimp and sweet potato

Pat the shrimp very dry. Make 3–4 shallow cuts across the underside of each one and press gently so they stay straight when fried. Peel the sweet potato and slice it into 5 mm rounds. Keep the shrimp in the fridge until the oil is hot. Wash your hands after handling raw shellfish.

Heat the oil

Heat the oil in a heavy, deep pot (no more than half full) to 175–180°C (350–355°F). Set a rack over a tray for draining.

Mix the batter at the last minute

In a bowl, mix the egg yolk with the ice-cold sparkling water. Add 80 g of the flour and the cornstarch and stir just a few strokes with chopsticks. Lumps are good; overmixing makes heavy, bready tempura. Put the remaining 20 g flour on a plate for dusting.

Fry until safe

Dust the sweet potato in flour, dip in batter and fry in batches for 3–4 minutes, until crisp and tender. Then dust and dip the shrimp and fry 4–5 at a time for 2–3 minutes, until the batter is pale golden and the shrimp are pink, opaque and read 74°C (165°F) at the thickest part. Drain on the rack.

Cook the udon and serve

Boil the frozen udon in a separate pot for 1–2 minutes, until loosened and hot. Drain and divide between 4 deep bowls, ladle over the hot broth and top with sliced green onions and a pinch of shichimi. Lay the tempura on top (or serve it on the side) just before eating.

Keep the batter ice-cold by setting its bowl inside a bigger bowl of ice. Cold batter hitting hot oil is what makes tempura light and crisp rather than greasy.

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