Udon Noodle Soup & Tempura Prawn
No shortcuts with this one! Stock & seasoning from scratch so the process is a little lengthy but quite simple!
Ingredients
Dashi stock (base of the soup stock)
- 2 pieces Kombu
- 1 cup Bonito flakes
- 4 cups Water
Furikake seasoning
- Leftover kombu from making the dashi stock
- Leftover bonito flakes from making the dashi stock
- Toasted white sesame seeds
- Toasted black sesame seeds
- Nori seaweed
- Sugar
- Soy sauce
- Sea salt
Udon noodle soup
- Spring onions
- 1 pack Udon noodles
- 2 tablespoons Soy sauce
- 1.5 tablespoons Mirin
Tempura prawns
- 3 Prawns
- 1 cup All purpose flour
- 1 Egg
- Iced water
- Neutral oil for frying (e.g. canola, sunflower, grapeseed, vegetable)
Instructions
Make the dashi stock
- First, make the dashi stock. In a pot, add water and kelp. Let it simmer on medium heat for about 10 minutes. Use a spoon to skim the surface (white bubbles/impunities) to keep the broth clear.
- When you notice the dashi boiling gently, remove kombu from the pot. This will prevent the dashi from becoming slimy & bitter from overcooking the kombu.
- Now add the bonito flakes and bring the pot to a boil. Once it starts boiling, reduce the heat and let it simmer for just 30 seconds. Then turn off the heat and let it sit for 10-15 minutes or until the bonito flakes sink to the bottom of the pot.
- Now strain the dashi through a fine-mesh seive over a bowl. This is your dashi stock! You can make this ahead of time. Store in a glass container or jar, pop it in the fridge for 3-5 days or in a freezer for 2 weeks.
- Don't throw away the kombu + bonito flakes. Set aside to make homemade furikake seasoning!
Make the furikake seasoning (Japanese rice seasoning)
- This is optional but highly recommended. Gather all the ingredients. Make sure the kombu and katsuobushi are well-drained. Cut kombu into small pieces. You can cut katsuobushi into smaller pieces if you prefer (seasoning/sprinkle size).
- Put kombu and bonito flakes in a saucepan and cook on medium-low heat until katsuobushi becomes dry and separated from each other. Add sugar, salt and soy sauce.
- Cook on medium-low heat until the liquid is completely evaporated, and katsuobushi is dehydrated and crispy.
- Transfer the above onto a tray/plate to let it cool. Once cool, add toasted sesame seeds and nori seaweed (cut into little pieces).
- Store in a mason jar/container in the fridge – this will last up to 2 weeks! You'll sprinkle some over the udon noodles – you can use this over rice too.
Make tempura prawns
- In In a large bowl, add ice cold water. Crack and egg inside it. Whisk the egg mixture vigorously and discard the foam on the surface.
- In a seperate bowl, add flour. Pour in the egg mixture (don't overmix – it's ok to leave some lumps in the batter). Ensure the batter is super cold.
- Dust potato starch/corn starch over the shrimp (this will help the shrimp adhere to the tempura batter). Coat the shrimp in the cold batter.
Ready to serve
- Cook your udon noodles according to package instructions.
- In a bowl, add soy sauce, mirin, a pinch of salt, a pinch of sugar. Add boiling water to fill the rest of the bowl. Add cooked udon noodles. Taste and adjust seasoning. Top with furikake seasoning and spring onions.
- Serve with tempura prawns on the side so they don't get soggy. Make tempura dipping sauce by mixing mirin, sugar, and soy sauce.
Notes
No shortcuts with this one! Stock & seasoning from scratch so the process is a little lengthy but quite simple!
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