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Restaurants›Nagomi Japanese Restaurant›Tendon # Roast Eel Bowl Recipe

Tendon # Roast Eel Bowl Recipe

Name: Nagomi Japanese Restaurants TENDON # ROAST EEL BOWL Recipe
Cook time: 1 h 10 min
Total time: 1 h 10 min
Yield: 2 servings
Cuisine: Japanese
Ingredients: 2 pieces roasted eel fillets (unagi), skin-on; 4 tbs soy sauce (for glaze); 3 tbs mirin; 2 tbs sake; 2 tbs granulated sugar; 1 tsp neutral oil (for searing, optional); 6 pieces large shrimp, peeled and deveined (tails on); 1 cup sweet potato, peeled and 1/4" sliced; 1 cup shiitake or mixed mushrooms, halved; 3 tbs all-purpose flour; 3 tbs ice-cold sparkling water; 1 pieces egg yolk; 1 tbs cornstarch; 600 ml cold oil for deep frying; 1 tsp salt; 2 cups Japanese short-grain rice, rinsed; 2.2 cups water; 1 tsp rice vinegar (optional, for slightly seasoned rice); 2 tbsp pickled ginger or beni shoga; 1 tbsp shredded nori or toasted seaweed strips; 2 tbsp scallions, thinly sliced; 1 tsp sesame seeds, toasted; 1 cup dashi (or water + dash of dashi powder); 3 tbs soy sauce; 3 tbs mirin; 2 tbs sugar; 1 tbs pickled daikon or lightly pickled cucumber (optional); 2 pieces lemon wedges (optional); 1 tsp shichimi togarashi (optional)

Inspired by Nagomi Japanese Restaurant

Time1h 10m

Serves2

Make Tendon # Roast Eel Bowl Recipe in just 1h 10m. Get the full recipe with step-by-step instructions at pekinthechef.com.

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Ingredients

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Roast Eel (Unagi) & Glaze

2 pieces roasted eel fillets (unagi), skin-on

4 tbs soy sauce (for glaze)

3 tbs Mirin

2 tbs Sake

2 tbs granulated sugar

1 tsp neutral oil (for searing, optional)

Tendon Batter & Frying (for tempura shrimp + vegetable tempura)

6 pieces large shrimp, peeled and deveined (tails on)

1 cup sweet potato, peeled and 1/4" sliced

1 cup shiitake or mixed mushrooms, halved

3 tbs 00 bread flour

3 tbs ice-cold sparkling water

1 pieces egg yolk

1 tbs Cornstarch

2.54 cup (600 ml) cold oil for deep frying

1 tsp Celtic sea salt

Rice & Assembly

2 cups Japanese short-grain rice, rinsed

2.2 cups water

1 tsp rice vinegar (optional, for slightly seasoned rice)

2 tbsp pickled ginger or beni shoga

1 tbsp shredded nori or toasted seaweed strips

2 tbsp scallions, thinly sliced

1 tsp Sesame seeds, toasted

Tare (Tendon Sauce) - for bowl drizzle

1 cup dashi (or water + dash of dashi powder)

3 tbs Aged soy sauce

3 tbs Mirin

2 tbs sugar

Finishing & Garnish

1 tbs pickled daikon or lightly pickled cucumber (optional)

2 pieces lemon wedges (optional)

1 tsp shichimi togarashi (optional)

Method

Roast Eel (Unagi) & Glaze

Prepare glaze (unagi sauce)

Combine 4 tbs soy sauce, 3 tbs mirin, 2 tbs sake, and 2 tbs sugar in a small saucepan. Bring to a gentle simmer over medium-low heat, stir until sugar dissolves, and simmer 3–4 minutes until slightly thickened. Remove from heat and set aside. Sauce will thicken more as it cools.

Finish roasted eel

If using pre-roasted unagi fillets, place them skin-side down in a skillet over medium heat with 1 tsp neutral oil. Brush fillets with 2–3 tbs of the glaze and warm 1–2 minutes until heated through and caramelized edges form. Optionally broil 1–2 minutes, brushing once more with glaze to gloss the top. If using raw eel, ensure it is pre-roasted/cooked before glazing (this recipe assumes pre-roasted/store-bought unagi). Keep warm.

Tendon Batter & Frying (tempura)

Prep shrimp and vegetables

Pat shrimp dry, make 3 shallow diagonal slits on the belly side and lightly press to straighten. Lightly season shrimp and vegetables with 1/4 tsp of salt. Keep shrimp chilled until battering.

Make cold batter

In a bowl, whisk together 3 tbs all-purpose flour and 1 tbs cornstarch. Add 1 egg yolk and 3 tbs ice-cold sparkling water and mix briefly — do not overmix; a few lumps are fine. Keep the batter chilled over an ice bath if possible.

Heat oil

Heat 600 ml of neutral oil in a deep pot to 170–175°C (340–350°F). If you don’t have a thermometer, test by dropping a small bit of batter: it should sizzle and rise slowly.

Fry shrimp and vegetables

Lightly dust shrimp and vegetable pieces with a little flour before dipping in batter. Working in small batches, dip items in batter and gently slide into hot oil. Fry shrimp 2–3 minutes until crisp and pale golden, and vegetables 2–3 minutes depending on thickness. Do not overcrowd. Remove to a wire rack or paper towel-lined tray and season immediately with remaining salt.

Tare (Tendon Sauce) - for bowl drizzle

Combine 1 cup dashi, 3 tbs soy sauce, 3 tbs mirin, and 2 tbs sugar in a small saucepan. Bring to a simmer and reduce gently for 4–5 minutes until slightly syrupy. Taste and adjust: it should be savory-sweet and pourable. Keep warm.

Rice & Assembly

Cook rice

Rinse 2 cups short-grain rice until water runs clear. Drain. Combine rice with 2.2 cups water in a rice cooker or heavy pot. Cook according to rice cooker instructions or bring to a boil, reduce to low, cover and simmer 12–14 minutes, then rest 10 minutes off heat. Fluff with rice paddle and stir in 1 tsp rice vinegar if desired.

Build the tend-on (Eel Roast Bowl)

Divide the cooked rice between two deep bowls. Arrange 1 roasted eel fillet (glazed) over each bowl of rice, sliced into 2–3 pieces if desired. Add 3 tempura shrimp and a mix of tempura vegetables to each bowl.

Sauce and garnish

Drizzle 1–2 tbs of the tare over the rice and tempura in each bowl (use more to taste). Sprinkle sliced scallions, toasted sesame seeds, shredded nori, and place pickled ginger on the side. Add pickled daikon or cucumber and a lemon wedge if using. Optionally finish with a light dusting of shichimi togarashi.