How to Make Crispy Tempura Donburi (Tendon) at Home!

 

Hello, food lovers! 😊 Today, I’m sharing a delicious Tempura Donburi (Tendon) recipe that you can easily make at home. This dish combines crispy tempura with a savory-sweet sauce over a bowl of warm rice—simple yet incredibly satisfying! Let’s get started! 🍽️✨

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🛒 Ingredients (Serves 2)

✔ Tempura Ingredients

• 4–6 shrimp
• 4 slices of kabocha squash
• 1/2 eggplant
• 4 perilla leaves
• 2 shiitake or king oyster mushrooms
• 1 cup tempura flour (or 1/2 cup all-purpose flour + 1/2 cup cornstarch)
• 1 egg
• 3/4 cup ice-cold water
• Cooking oil for frying

✔ Tendon Sauce

• 3 tbsp soy sauce
• 2 tbsp mirin
• 1.5 tbsp sugar
• 4 tbsp dashi stock (or water)

✔ Rice

• 2 bowls of warm rice

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🍳 How to Make It

1️⃣ Make the Tempura Batter

1. In a bowl, mix tempura flour (or flour + cornstarch) with ice-cold water.
2. Lightly beat the egg and add it to the mixture. Stir gently with chopsticks—don’t overmix! (A slightly lumpy batter makes crispier tempura.)

2️⃣ Prepare & Fry the Ingredients

1. Remove the shrimp’s vein, then make small cuts on the belly to straighten them.
2. Slice the kabocha, eggplant, and mushrooms into bite-sized pieces.
3. Pat the perilla leaves dry to prevent oil splatter.
4. Heat oil in a deep pan to 170–180°C (338–356°F).
5. Dip each ingredient into the tempura batter and fry until golden and crispy.

3️⃣ Make the Tendon Sauce

1. In a small pan, combine soy sauce, mirin, sugar, and dashi stock.
2. Bring to a gentle simmer over medium heat until the sugar dissolves. Remove from heat.

4️⃣ Assemble the Tendon

1. Place warm rice in a bowl and arrange the crispy tempura on top.
2. Drizzle the tendon sauce over the tempura.
3. Optionally, garnish with shredded nori or a raw egg yolk for extra richness!

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🏆 Tips for the Best Tempura!

✔ Keep the batter cold to achieve the crispiest texture.
✔ Pat the ingredients dry before coating them in batter to prevent oil splatter.
✔ Don’t overcrowd the pan—fry in small batches to maintain the oil temperature.

Enjoy this delicious homemade Tempura Donburi and experience the perfect balance of crunch and umami! 🍤🍚 Let me know in the comments if you try it—I’d love to hear how it turns out! 💬😊✨