Tendon (Tempura Rice Bowl)
Cuisine: Japanese
Region: 日本各地
Servings: 2人分
Tendon (tempura rice bowl), also searched as shrimp tempura donburi, piles hot shrimp and vegetable tempura on warm rice with sweet-savory tentsuyu. Crisp batter meeting the sauce makes this a classic treat at diners and home tables across Japan.
At a glance
Time: about 30–40 min · Serves 2 · Difficulty: medium · ≈ 550–750 kcal per serving (estimate)
Tendon (tempura rice bowl), also searched as shrimp tempura donburi, piles hot shrimp and vegetable tempura on warm rice with sweet-savory tentsuyu. Crisp batter meeting the sauce makes this a classic treat at diners and home tables across Japan.
Ingredients
- Warm cooked rice 2 rice-bowl servings (about 300 g)
- Peeled shrimp (medium–large, deveined) 6
- Eggplant 1
- Kabocha squash or sweet potato 80 g
- Shishito peppers or bell peppers 4
- Cake flour (for batter) 80 g
- Egg (for batter) 1
- Ice-cold water (for batter) 100 ml
- Frying oil as needed (enough for deep frying)
- Dashi (for tentsuyu) 150 ml
- Soy sauce (for tentsuyu) 2 tbsp
- Mirin (for tentsuyu) 2 tbsp
- Sugar (for tentsuyu) 1 tsp
- Chopped green onion (optional) as needed
Steps
- Make the tentsuyu first. In a small pan bring dashi, soy sauce, mirin, and sugar to a brief boil; when the sugar dissolves, turn off the heat. Devein the shrimp, score the belly lightly to straighten, and pat dry. Cut eggplant into chunks or halved diagonal slices; slice kabocha 5 mm thick into ginkgo shapes; trim shishito stems.
- Make the batter. Mix egg and ice water in a bowl, add flour, and stir loosely with chopsticks (do not overmix; a few dry spots are fine). Lightly dust the ingredients with flour, then dip in batter.
- Heat oil to 170–180°C (340–355°F). Fry lower-moisture items like kabocha and eggplant first, then shishito, then shrimp last. Add shrimp tail-first to keep shape; remove when pale golden and drain. Do not crowd the pan.
- Pack warm rice into bowls and drizzle a little tentsuyu over the rice. Arrange the tempura neatly, pour the remaining sauce over (or serve on the side), and scatter green onion.
- Serve hot. Adjust how much sauce you pour—plenty for juiciness, or less to keep the crust crisp.
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Notes
Cold water and a light mix keep the batter crisp; overmixing develops gluten and makes it gummy.
Pat ingredients dry and dust with flour first so the batter clings better.
Aim for about 170°C for vegetables and 180°C for shrimp; fine lively bubbles mean the oil is ready.
Classic tentsuyu is sweet-savory; skip the sugar and use mirin only if you want it less sweet.
Plating straight from the fryer softens the crust—drain well before saucing to keep crunch.
Time and temperature
Bring tentsuyu just to a boil · Oil ~170°C for veg, ~180°C for shrimp · Fry in batches without crowding
Nutrition
650 kcal · Protein 28 g · Fat 28 g · Carbs 72 g
1 bowl, estimate for 2 servings
Substitutes
- Shrimp → white fish or tofu sticks
- Ice water → add a few ice cubes for extra crisp
- Mirin → sugar + water
- Shishito → green beans or onion rings
Storage
Tempura is best fresh. Leftovers soften—recrisp briefly in oven or air fryer before saucing. Tentsuyu keeps 2–3 days chilled. Do not freeze a fully sauced bowl.
FAQ
- Why is my batter gummy instead of crisp?
- Overmixing develops gluten; use ice water, stir lightly, and dry the ingredients well.
- Can I make tendon ahead?
- Cut vegetables and cook tentsuyu early; mix batter and fry just before serving to keep crunch.
- What if the sauce tastes too sweet?
- Cut or skip the sugar and rely on mirin, or thin with a splash of dashi.
- How do I know the oil is too cool?
- Large sparse bubbles and greasy pale coating mean cool oil; fine lively bubbles near 170–180°C are right.
- How much tentsuyu should I pour?
- Lightly moisten the rice first, then finish on top—or serve sauce on the side to keep the crust crisp.
Origin and history
Tendon is a classic Japanese rice bowl of hot tempura over warm rice with sweet-savory tentsuyu. Shrimp plus vegetable tempura such as eggplant and kabocha is a common home combination.
Tempura shops in Tokyo reportedly began serving it as a donburi from late Edo into Meiji, and it spread among busy city workers. Today it is a treat menu in diners and homes nationwide.
This recipe tops two bowls with six shrimp and vegetables; the sauce is basic dashi–soy–mirin. Freshly fried crisp coating meeting the sauce is the key to flavor.