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Meat Broth Somen with Chicken Tempura (Toriten Somen)

The ultimate juicy meat broth somen and chicken tempura recipe, perfect for a Japanese summer. Inspired by Musashino Udon, this rich pork broth, packed with deep pork flavor, is unforgettable. Accompanied by crispy on the outside and juicy on the inside chicken tempura, this dish will gorgeously decorate your summer dining table. Try this satisfyingly luxurious dish!

Steps

Cut 1 Long Onion into bite-sized pieces. Use the entire green part. *Pro Tip:* Slicing some of the green part thinly for garnish is also recommended.
🕒 01:06
Slice 300g of Pork Belly (thick cut, about 6-7mm is ideal).
🕒 01:18
Parboil the sliced Pork Belly in water.
🕒 01:52
Once the Pork Belly boils, immediately remove from heat and rinse lightly with water. *Pro Tip:* This is an important step to remove excess fat and impurities.
🕒 02:05
For the dashi stock, heat Bonito Flakes in room temperature water, simmering vigorously to extract flavor. *Pro Tip:* This creates a golden, strong dashi. Squeeze out the bonito flakes well.
🕒 02:10
Add the prepared dashi stock to a pot, along with [A] Sugar 1-2 tbsp, [A] Dark Soy Sauce 3.5 tbsp, [A] Cooking Sake (Rice Wine) 2 tbsp, [A] Mirin (Sweet Rice Wine) 2 tbsp, and [A] Granulated Dashi Stock 2 tsp. Mix well. *Pro Tip:* Use a dark, rich soy sauce like dark soy sauce or tamari soy sauce for best flavor and color.
🕒 02:26
Add the parboiled Pork Belly and chopped Long Onion to the pot and simmer over medium heat for about 10 minutes.
🕒 02:39
Turn off the heat and let it rest at room temperature for about 30 minutes. *Pro Tip:* This is the most crucial step for the flavors to meld beautifully and become perfectly balanced.
🕒 02:45
Remove the skin from 1 Chicken Breast (approx. 400g) and slice thinly into long strips. *Pro Tip:* Thinly sliced chicken cooks faster and has a better texture.
🕒 02:58
In a bowl, combine 1 tsp Cooking Sake (Rice Wine), 1 tsp Shiro Dashi (White Soy Sauce Base), salt (to taste), and a pinch of White Pepper. Add the sliced Chicken Breast and mix well.
🕒 03:18
Let the Chicken Breast marinate for about 10 minutes.
🕒 03:46
In a separate bowl, combine 1 tbsp Potato Starch and 4 tbsp All-Purpose Flour. Add about 6 tbsp Sparkling Water (or beer) and mix to create the batter. *Pro Tip:* Mix the batter just before frying to prevent the carbonation from escaping.
🕒 03:54
Add the seasoned Chicken Breast to the prepared batter.
🕒 04:28
Heat oil to 180°C (350°F) and fry the battered Chicken Breast.
🕒 04:36
If your pot is shallow, flip the chicken pieces regularly and fry until they are nicely browned.
🕒 04:47
Boil water for cooking the Somen.
🕒 05:20
To plate attractively, tie the Somen (Ibo no Ito Tokkyu) with kitchen twine and add to the boiling water.
🕒 05:36
Cook the Somen until al dente, about 1.5 minutes. Loosen occasionally.
🕒 05:55
Rinse the cooked Somen in cold water.
🕒 06:08
Lightly drain the Somen and snip the ends of the bundle with scissors.
🕒 06:12
Gently form the Somen into a round shape and place in a serving bowl.
🕒 06:29
Arrange the prepared meat broth and chicken tempura in the bowl. *Pro Tip:* Serving with pickled plums or grated daikon radish is also recommended.
🕒 06:36