The Ultimate Tempura Soba

Put 300cc of dashi in a pot and bring to a boil. Once it is bubbling, add 60cc soy sauce and 60cc mirin, then add a splash of sake.

When it comes back to a boil, add the kin-kezuribushi, let it boil up once, and turn off the heat. Leave it to cool slightly.

Once cooled, strain through a sieve lined with paper and squeeze the bonito flakes firmly to finish the soba tsuyu. Set aside.

For the shiitake, cut off only the inedible base and make shallow decorative cuts in the stem so they cook through evenly. For the shishito peppers, remove the stem and take out the seeds with a skewer (or pierce a hole to prevent bursting).

Cut off the stem and tip of the eggplant, halve it lengthwise, and make fine diagonal cuts. Slice the long green onion thinly into rounds and soak in water.

Devein the shrimp with a bamboo skewer and peel the shell, leaving the last tail segment and the tail itself. Cut the tip of the tail diagonally to drain the water inside, and make several diagonal cuts on the belly side. Press with your fingers with the back facing up to cut the sinews and straighten it out.

Put the ice-cold water in a bowl first, then add the tempura flour and mix roughly with a sieve or similar. Stop while some floury streaks remain.

Heat the oil to 170-180°C. Dust the shiitake with flour (uchiko), coat the outside of the cap with batter, and fry. When the bubbling slows, turn them over, and when they feel light, lift them out and stand them up to drain the oil.

Dust the eggplant with flour as well, getting it between the cuts, coat the non-skin side generously with batter, and slide it into the oil. Gather tenkasu onto it to form ruffles, and once the color changes, turn it over and lift it out without overcooking.

Dust the shrimp lightly with flour, coat the belly side generously and the back side thinly with batter, spread the tail, and lower them straight into the oil. Dust the shishito peppers lightly as well and fry them briefly.

Bring a large pot of water to a boil with salt added and cook the soba. Loosen the noodles gently so they don't stick together, and boil for the time indicated on the package.

Wash the cooked soba under strong running water to cool it, then transfer to ice water and gently rub-wash until the sliminess is gone and the noodles are firm. Place the soba in a bowl, pour over the warmed tsuyu, and top with the tempura, shiitake, grated daikon, and green onion.