Tentsuyu Sauce
Submitted by funky
Traditional Japanese tentsuyu dipping sauce for tempura made with dashi stock, mirin and soy sauce. Served warm with grated radish, horseradish and a squeeze of lemon.
YIELD
4 servingsPREP
15 minCOOK
15 minREADY
30 minTentsuyu is the classic Japanese dipping sauce that transforms golden, crispy tempura into something transcendent.
A simple blend of light dashi stock, sweet mirin and savory soy sauce gets brought to a quick boil, then served warm alongside freshly grated daikon radish and a hit of sharp horseradish.
Each person customizes their own bowl, mixing in as much radish and horseradish as they like, with an optional squeeze of lemon for brightness.
It comes together in about 30 minutes and is the kind of foundational recipe every Japanese home cook knows by heart.
Kitchen Tips
- Use real dashi stock for authentic flavor. Instant dashi granules work in a pinch but the depth won’t be quite the same.
- If you can’t find mirin, sweet sherry or even a touch of honey mixed with a splash of rice vinegar makes a reasonable substitute.
- Grate the daikon radish right before serving so it stays fresh and pungent rather than turning watery.
- Serve the sauce warm, not hot. Too much heat dulls the delicate balance of sweet and salty.
Ingredients
Directions
Mix all ingredients except the horseradish, ginger and lemon juice.
Bring to a boil, and remove from heat.
Grate the radish. Hydrate the horseradish if you are using the dried product.
For serving, put warm sauce into individual bowls.
Place a heap of the radish topped with horseradish on each plate of fried food.
Each person should mix as much of this with his sauce as suits his taste.
Add the lemon juice if desired. This sauce used mainly with Tempura.
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