Name: Unagi Tempura Don
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 25 min
Total time: 45 min
Yield: 4 servings
Cuisine: Japanese
Ingredients: 14 oz Barbecued Eel (Unagi Kabayaki); 3 cups Short-grain White Rice (cooked); 1 cup All-purpose Flour; 1/4 cup Cornstarch; 1 cup Ice-cold Sparkling Water; 1 large Egg Yolk; 1/4 cup Soy Sauce; 1/4 cup Mirin; 2 tbsp Granulated Sugar; 3 cups Neutral Oil (for frying)

Seafood

Unagi Tempura Don

Experience a luxurious twist on traditional Japanese donburi with our Unagi Tempura Don. Succulent pieces of barbecued eel are dipped in a light, ice-cold batter and fried to golden perfection, then served over a bed of fluffy rice with a rich, savory-sweet tare sauce.

Prep

20m

Cook

25m

Serves

Calories

680kcal

Qty	Ingredient
14 oz 400 g	Barbecued Eel (Unagi Kabayaki)
3 cups 600 g	Short-grain White Rice (cooked)
1 cup 125 g	All-purpose Flour
1/4 cup 30 g	Cornstarch
1 cup 240 ml	Ice-cold Sparkling Water
1 large 1 large	Egg Yolk
1/4 cup 60 ml	Soy Sauce
1/4 cup 60 ml	Mirin
2 tbsp 25 g	Granulated Sugar
3 cups 710 ml	Neutral Oil (for frying)

2 Method

Step 1. Prepare the Tare sauce by combining soy sauce, mirin, and sugar in a small saucepan over medium heat. Simmer for 5-8 minutes until slightly thickened and syrupy. Set aside to cool.

Step 2. Cut the unagi fillets into 2-inch wide pieces. Lightly pat them dry with a paper towel.

Step 3. Heat the neutral oil in a deep pot or wok to 350°F (175°C).

Step 4. Prepare the tempura batter: In a medium bowl, whisk the egg yolk into the ice-cold sparkling water. Add the flour and cornstarch. Use chopsticks to stir briefly, leaving many small lumps—do not overmix.

Step 5. Lightly dust each piece of eel in a little extra flour, then dip into the cold batter to coat.

Step 6. Carefully drop the eel pieces into the hot oil. Fry in batches for 2-3 minutes until the batter is a very light golden color and crispy. Drain on a wire cooling rack.

Step 7. Divide the hot cooked rice into four bowls. Drizzle a tablespoon of the Tare sauce over the rice.

Step 8. Place 3-4 pieces of unagi tempura on top of the rice. Drizzle with additional Tare sauce and garnish with sliced green onions or shiso leaves if desired.

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Use ice-cold water and keep the batter chilled to ensure a light, shatteringly crisp crust.
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Lumps in the batter are essential; over-whisking develops gluten which leads to a chewy, bread-like texture.
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If you want extra crunch, drizzle small droplets of batter into the oil as the eel fries to create 'tenkasu' that sticks to the fish.
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A wire rack is better than paper towels for draining, as it prevents the bottom of the tempura from steaming and getting soggy.

? FAQ

Can I use plain water instead of sparkling water?

Yes, but sparkling water contains carbon dioxide which creates air bubbles, making the tempura crust even lighter and crispier.

Is the eel already cooked?

Most store-bought unagi (Kabayaki) is already grilled and seasoned. We are essentially reheating it and adding texture by frying it in batter.

What kind of oil is best for frying tempura?

Use a neutral oil with a high smoke point, such as canola, vegetable, or grapeseed oil.

Can I air fry this recipe?

Tempura batter is quite wet, so it doesn't work well in a standard air fryer. For an air fryer version, you would need to use a panko breadcrumb coating instead.