Prawn Tempura Don

Name: Prawn Tempura Don
Prep time: 45 min
Cook time: 30 min
Yield: 2 to 4 servings
Cuisine: Japanese Menu
Ingredients: Prawns — To taste; Cake Flour — 100 g; Egg — 1; Water — 180 ml; Dashi — 400 ml; Mirin — 100 ml; Soy Sauce — 100 ml; Japanese Rice — To taste

This classic prawn tempura don features succulent, perfectly crispy prawns served over a mound of steaming rice, all drizzled with a rich and savoury sweet-savoury dashi-based sauce. The delicate, airy tempura coating provides an irresistible textural contrast to the tender prawns, creating a deeply comforting and elegant Japanese rice bowl that brings restaurant-quality freshness and clean, balanced flavours directly to your own home kitchen.

Cuisines

Cooking Instructions

Preparation: 45 minutes
Cooking: 30 minutes

Servings: 2 to 4

Notes:

For the ultimate airy, crispy tempura coating, keep all batter ingredients—especially the cake flour and water—well-chilled in the fridge until the very moment you are ready to mix them.

The secret to perfectly straight prawn tempura is scoring the belly side of the prawn and pressing it gently against the cutting board to break the muscle fibres, preventing the prawns from curling during the frying process.

Always ensure the prawn tails are cleaned of any excess moisture or debris, as trapped water will cause hot oil to splatter violently and can negatively impact the crispiness of your finished tempura.

When preparing the sweet-savoury sauce, simmering the mixture of dashi, mirin, and soy sauce for two minutes after it reaches a boil is crucial to allow the raw alcohol from the mirin to evaporate, creating a smooth, refined base.

When plating your prawn tempura don, place the largest, most visually appealing pieces first to create a three-dimensional effect, then drizzle your warm dipping sauce lightly over the prawns just before serving to maintain that signature crispy texture.

Prepare Prawns
Peel and devein the prawns while keeping the tails intact, score the belly to prevent curling, press gently to break muscle fibres, and dry thoroughly with paper towels.

Make Sauce
Simmer dashi, mirin, and soy sauce together in a pan for 2 minutes to cook off the alcohol, then set aside, reheating briefly before serving.

Make Batter
Sieve the cold cake flour and combine gently with the chilled egg and water, mixing only until just combined with visible lumps remaining to ensure the coating stays airy.

Fry Tempura
Dredge prawns lightly in cake flour, dip into the cold batter, and deep-fry in 160 C to 170 C oil until golden and crisp, using extra batter to create a crunchy, wispy finish.

Assemble
Arrange the crispy prawns over a bowl of hot steamed rice, drizzle generously with the warm sauce, and serve immediately to enjoy the perfect contrast of crispy batter and tender meat.