Tenpura W / Rice, Miso Soup Recipe

Rinse and cook rice

Rinse 2 cups Japanese short-grain rice under cold water until the water runs mostly clear (about 4–6 rinses). Drain and place in a rice cooker or medium saucepan. Add 2 1/4 cups water. If using a saucepan, bring to a boil over medium-high heat, then reduce to low, cover, and simmer 12–14 minutes until water is absorbed. Remove from heat and let rest, covered, for 10 minutes.

Fluff the rice with a rice paddle or fork. If desired, stir in 1 tsp rice vinegar and 1/4 tsp salt to lightly season. Keep covered and warm until serving.

Prepare shrimp and vegetables

Pat shrimp dry with paper towels. Make 3 shallow diagonal cuts along the underside of each shrimp to help them stay straight while frying; gently stretch them. Slice sweet potato and eggplant into 1/4-inch slices, trim mushroom stems and lightly score the mushroom caps if large. Trim green beans or asparagus and pat all produce dry. Dust shrimp and vegetables lightly with 1–2 tsp of flour (from the batter flour) to help batter adhere.

Heat oil

Pour 4 cups vegetable oil into a deep fryer or a heavy, deep pot. Heat to 350–360°F (175–182°C). If you don't have a thermometer, test by dropping a small bit of batter: it should sizzle and rise immediately without browning too fast.

Make batter

In a medium bowl, lightly beat 1 cold egg. Add 1 cup ice-cold sparkling water. Sift together 1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour and 1/4 cup rice flour. Add the dry mix to the egg-water in two additions, stirring briefly with chopsticks or a fork. Do not overmix; a few lumps are fine. If too thick, add up to 2 tbsp cold water. Keep the batter cold (set the bowl over an ice bath) to ensure a light, crisp crust.

Fry tempura

Work in small batches to avoid crowding. Dip prepared shrimp and vegetables into batter, allowing excess to drip off, then gently lower into the hot oil. Fry shrimp 2.5–3 minutes until pale golden and cooked through; fry thin vegetables 1.5–2.5 minutes and thicker items (sweet potato, kabocha) 3–4 minutes until crisp and light golden. Turn pieces as needed for even color. Remove with a slotted spoon or spider and drain on a wire rack or paper towels. Keep fried pieces in a single layer in a warm oven (200°F/95°C) for up to 10–15 minutes if needed; avoid stacking.

Finish and serve tempura

Serve the tempura immediately with dipping sauce, grated daikon, and lemon wedges. Offer extra soy sauce if desired.

If using store-bought tentsuyu or mentsuyu, warm 1 cup gently before serving. For a quick homemade dipping sauce: combine 1 cup dashi, 2 tbsp mirin, and 2 tbsp soy sauce; bring briefly to a simmer, then cool slightly. Place grated daikon in a small dish to mix into the sauce to taste.

Rehydrate wakame and warm dashi

If wakame is dried, place 2 tbsp in a small bowl with warm water for 5 minutes; drain and squeeze gently. In a small saucepan, bring 4 cups prepared dashi to a gentle simmer — do not boil vigorously.

Dissolve miso and add tofu

Place 3 tbsp white miso in a small ladle or bowl. Scoop about 1/2 cup hot dashi and whisk it into the miso until smooth (this prevents lumps). Turn off the heat under the pot, then stir the miso mixture back into the dashi. Add the cubed silken tofu and rehydrated wakame; warm gently for 1–2 minutes without boiling (boiling degrades miso flavor).

Taste and adjust: add a little more miso dissolved in dashi if you prefer a stronger flavor. Ladle miso soup into bowls and garnish with sliced scallions.