A simple recipe, tentsuyu can be put together in a matter of minutes if you have dashi soup stock on hand, which can be made ahead of time or purchased at Asian food markets. This recipe includes instructions for homemade dashi using kombu and bonito flakes, but you can use other varieties of dashi if you like. Grated daikon is often an accompaniment to the tempura and tentsuyu, either served alongside or directly in the sauce.
"This is a quick, versatile dipping sauce that can be used for tempura, dumplings or anything else you desire. Hon-dashi, instant dashi, can be found in most Asian supermarkets and is a great alternative to from-scratch dashi. Adding freshly grated daikon and ginger when serving brings a pleasant bite and subtle spice to the sauce." —Rick Horiike
Ingredients
Steps to Make It
Make the Dashi Soup Stock
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Gather the ingredients.
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Place the cold water in a small saucepan and add the kombu. Bring to a simmer and continue to cook for 5 to 7 minutes until tender. You should be able to pinch through the kombu with your thumbnail.
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Turn off the heat and remove and discard the kombu. Add the bonito flakes and let steep for 10 to 15 minutes. The bonito will sink when the broth is ready.
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Strain the broth through a mesh strainer and press the bonito with a ladle or the back of a spoon to extract as much liquid as possible. Discard the bonito.
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The dashi is ready to use in the sauce. This recipe yields approximately 1 1/2 cups, so you will have extra.
Make the Tempura Dipping Sauce
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Gather the ingredients.
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Add the dashi, mirin, soy sauce, and sugar to a saucepan and mix well.
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Bring to a boil over medium heat. Turn off the heat and let it cool.
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Serve the tentsuyu in individual small bowls alongside the tempura, adding some grated daikon on top of the sauce or alongside if you like.
Tips
- The type of dashi soup stock you use will affect the flavor of the sauce; for example, kombu dashi has the most subtle flavor, while iriko dashi brings a gentle fish flavor to the sauce.
- If you need to increase the quantity, just follow the ratio of 3 to 4 parts dashi soup stock, 1 part mirin, and 1 part soy sauce.
- This sauce freezes very well so you can easily make a larger batch and always have some on hand.
Nutrition Facts (per serving) | |
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64 | Calories |
1g | Fat |
9g | Carbs |
3g | Protein |
Nutrition Facts | |
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Servings: 2 to 4 | |
Amount per serving | |
Calories | 64 |
% Daily Value* | |
Total Fat 1g | 1% |
Saturated Fat 0g | 1% |
Cholesterol 3mg | 1% |
Sodium 1066mg | 46% |
Total Carbohydrate 9g | 3% |
Dietary Fiber 0g | 0% |
Total Sugars 8g | |
Protein 3g | |
Vitamin C 0mg | 1% |
Calcium 15mg | 1% |
Iron 0mg | 2% |
Potassium 175mg | 4% |
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice. |
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