Prepping the Shrimp

1. First, deshell the shrimp leaving the tail on and remove the veins.
2. Place the shrimp in a bowl with 2 pinches of salt and a tsp of corn starch and rub it over the surface. The salt is to dehydrate them so they fry better and the corn starch helps clean them out.
3. After a few minutes have passed, rinse the salt and cornstarch off the shrimp under cold running water.
4. Dry them with kitchen paper and transfer them to a chopping board.
5. Place the shrimp on its side with the tail folded in half and trim it diagonally. The pointy tip should be cut off and be the shorter part of the diagonal. (This stops oil from splattering out when it's frying and it looks nicer too.)
6. Turn the shrimp so the belly is facing up and make diagonal incisions along the whole body. The incisions should be about 1cm apart and go about 1/2 way through the prawn. You should be able to lay out the prawn flat and straight.
7. Repeat for all of the shrimp.

Tempura

1. Preheat your oil to 180C (356F).
2. Take the chilled water and sparkling water from the fridge and pour them into a bowl.
3. Add 1/2 tbsp egg mayonnaise to the water (or half a whisked egg) and mix well.
4. Take the flour and starch from the fridge and add it to the bowl one third at a time. Mix roughly between each addition. (It's fine to have lumps.)
5. Dry your shrimp with a paper towel and then lightly coat them in potato starch or plain flour. Dust off any excess.
6. Test your oil by adding a drop of batter, if it floats and sizzles it's ready to start cooking.
7. Dip the shrimp in the batter and then place them in the oil one by one. Be careful not to overcrowd the pot. (I recommend keeping the batter in the fridge between batches.)
8. Fry for about 2 minutes or once the batter puffs up and becomes crispy. Remove the tempura from the pot before they become golden and place them on a wire rack to allow the excess oil to drop off.
9. Repeat until all your tempura shrimp are cooked.

Udon noodle soup

1. Boil your udon noodles in a separate pot, follow the instructions on the packaging.
2. Bring 1 litre of dashi to a boil and then add 5 tbsp soy sauce and 2 tbsp mirin. Allow to boil for 2-3 minutes.
3. Turn off the heat and add 1/2 tsp salt. Mix.
4. Once the udon noodles are ready, pour them into a colander and then run them under hot water to remove any starch.
5. Divide them into serving bowls and pour the broth over the top of the noodles.
6. Place the tempura on top of the noodles and then garnish with spring onions and kamaboko.
7. For an added kick, sprinkle with Japanese shichimi powder.
8. Enjoy!