Steps

1. In a bowl, combine 100ml water, 1 tbsp soy sauce, 1 tbsp mirin, and 1/4 tsp dashi granules, and mix well.
   🕒 02:00
2. Heat in a 600W microwave for 1 minute 30 seconds to evaporate the alcohol from the mirin. 【Here's the tip!】By thoroughly evaporating the mirin alcohol, the flavor of the tentsuyu will be significantly improved.
   🕒 02:10
3. After heating, mix again well, taste, and if you can still detect alcohol, heat for an additional short time. Keep the completed tentsuyu aside until ready to use.
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4. Crack 1 egg into a separate bowl and beat well. 【Here's the tip!】Use 1/2 egg (about 30g) for the beaten egg.
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5. In another bowl, add 80ml water and 1 tbsp cooking sake. 【Here's the tip!】Adding cooking sake makes the coating crispier and enhances the flavor.
   🕒 03:06
6. Place 1 tbsp mayonnaise in a separate container, add a small amount of the water and cooking sake mixture prepared above, and dissolve until smooth. 【Here's the tip!】If you add mayonnaise directly, it will become lumpy. By dissolving it thoroughly in water first before adding, you prevent lumps and achieve a better finish.
   🕒 03:17
7. Pour the dissolved mayonnaise mixture back into the bowl with water and cooking sake, and mix well.
   🕒 04:00
8. Add 1/2 of the beaten egg mixture (about 30g) and mix well.
   🕒 04:06
9. Add 50g cake flour without sifting and mix gently. 【Here's the tip!】The key is to mix until a few lumps remain.
   🕒 04:16
10. Chill the batter in the refrigerator until ready to use. 【Here's the tip!】Chilling the batter results in an even crispier fry.
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11. Cut off the stems of 2 eggplants and cut them into quarters lengthwise.
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12. Make cuts about 1cm deep, leaving about 1.5 to 2cm at the top. Make cuts in the same way for the rest of the eggplant.
    🕒 04:55
13. Dust the entire cut surface of the eggplant with cake flour to taste, making sure to get some into the cuts. 【Here's the tip!】Dusting the flour into the cuts helps the batter adhere better. After dusting the entire surface, tap to remove excess flour.
    🕒 05:30
14. Lightly dust 5 shiso leaves with cake flour to taste.
    🕒 06:14
15. Pour about 1 to 2cm of frying oil into the bottom of a frying pan and heat to 170℃.
    🕒 06:45
16. Once the oil is at the correct temperature, hold the eggplant by the uncut part and dip the cut surface into the chilled batter.
    🕒 07:03
17. Spread out the battered eggplant and carefully place it in the oil with the skin side down. Be careful of burns, and fry the skin side for 50 seconds to 1 minute.
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18. Once nicely fried, flip it over and fry the other side for about 1 to 2 minutes, or until the entire piece is crispy. 【Here's the tip!】The frying time may vary depending on the size of the eggplant, so the key is to fry until the coating is crispy.
    🕒 07:44
19. Next, quickly coat the shiso leaves with batter and place them in the 170℃ oil.
    🕒 08:04
20. Fry the shiso leaves for about 50 seconds to 1 minute. After about 20 to 30 seconds, flip them over and fry the other side similarly. Remove them when the coating is crisp.
    🕒 08:18
21. Fry the remaining eggplant and shiso leaves in the same way.
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22. After frying everything, drain the oil for about 3 minutes.
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23. Arrange on a plate, and your eggplant tempura is ready!
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