Steps

1. 2 bell peppers: cut off any old parts, then cut them in half lengthwise. Use the seeds as they are.
   🕒 02:26
2. Cut the bell peppers into thin strips.
   🕒 02:54
3. Cut kamaboko (fish cake) to taste into thin strips. [Pro Tip!] Cut into thin strips so it blends well with the bell peppers. Crab sticks can also be used as a substitute.
   🕒 03:24
4. Place the cut bell peppers and kamaboko in a heatproof container.
   🕒 03:38
5. Add Hondashi (Japanese dashi powder) 2/3 tsp, cover, and heat in the microwave for 3 minutes.
   🕒 03:56
6. Put 100cc water and 1/2 tsp salt in a bowl, then thaw the peeled shrimp in the saltwater. [Pro Tip!] Thawing in saltwater results in plump shrimp. Since the salt concentration is similar to seawater, remove the shrimp from the saltwater after thawing.
   🕒 04:17
7. Remove the bell peppers and kamaboko from the microwave and mix them.
   🕒 04:59
8. Serve in a dish and sprinkle with toasted sesame seeds to taste.
   🕒 05:38
9. Thinly slice 70g onion against the grain. Cut any long pieces shorter. [Pro Tip!] Slicing against the grain gives a crumbly texture and helps it cook through evenly.
   🕒 05:53
10. Remove the black vein from the thawed peeled shrimp using a skewer or similar tool. Smaller shrimp can be separated.
    🕒 06:25
11. In a bowl, add 30g cake flour, 1g bonito flakes powder, and 1 pinch salt.
    🕒 07:08
12. Add 35g cold water and lightly mix with chopsticks until no dry flour remains. [Pro Tip!] The batter should not be watery, but thick enough to coat all the ingredients.
    🕒 07:34
13. Pour oil (enough to cover the bottom of the pot by 1cm) into a pot and heat over medium heat. When large bubbles appear around a cooking chopstick, it's a sign to start frying.
    🕒 08:29
14. Add all the onion and peeled shrimp to the batter and coat them thoroughly.
    🕒 08:48
15. Place the ingredients together in the pot, shaping them as they fry so they fit into a donburi bowl.
    🕒 08:52
16. Flip occasionally and fry until golden brown. [Pro Tip!] Don't try to fry it perfectly all at once; flip it as you observe its progress. You can also add carrots or mitsuba (Japanese parsley) if desired.
    🕒 09:44
17. Once fried, remove from the oil.
    🕒 10:15
18. In a pot, add 320cc water, 1/2 tsp sugar, 2 tbsp Mirin (Sweet Rice Wine), 3g bonito flakes powder, 5-6 shakes Haimi (MSG seasoning), and 2 tbsp soy sauce, then bring to a boil. [Pro Tip!] Using Haimi helps achieve a soba broth flavor similar to what you'd find in a restaurant.
    🕒 10:41
19. In a separate pot, boil water and cook 100g soba noodles until al dente, about 4 and a half minutes.
    🕒 11:53
20. Rinse the cooked soba noodles once with cold water and thoroughly drain. [Pro Tip!] This extra step makes the soba even more delicious.
    🕒 12:45
21. Return the chilled soba noodles to the soba broth pot and reheat. Warm until small bubbles appear around the edge of the pot.
    🕒 13:06
22. Serve the warm soba noodles in a bowl and pour plenty of soba broth over them.
    🕒 13:27
23. Top with the fried kakiage and scallions to taste. Sprinkle with Shichimi Togarashi (Japanese seven-spice blend) to taste if desired.
    🕒 13:39