Maitake Tempura Soba

Maitake Mushroom Tempura with Soba Noodle Soup Recipe

One dish I fell in love with while traveling to Izumo City in Shimane Prefecture is the combination of soba noodle soup and maitake tempura.

You may have heard that soba noodles are popular in the area, and many tourists enjoy them while visiting the famous Izumo Shrine. I was just one of them.

The three-tiered soba bowls come with different toppings, allowing you to savor three distinct flavors of soba. My order came with a generous serving of tempura as the first topping - and it was maitake.

Maitake mushrooms have a crisp and firm texture. I’d previously enjoyed them in hot pots or stir-fries but never in tempura. The tempura’s perfect crunch paired wonderfully with the refreshing soba noodles.

Here, I’ve recreated this dish at home to share with you this delicious recipe!

RECIPE

Servings: 3

Time: 30 min

Ingredients:

1 pack maitake mushrooms
1 tbsp flour

Tempura Batter

1 egg
2/3 cup flour
1/2 cup cold water

Other

frying oil
3 servings soba noodles
mentsuyu (a dipping sauce made from dashi, soy sauce, and mirin)

My Kitchen Tools:

Frying Pot

Boiling Pot for Soba

Instructions:

Break the maitake into large bite-size pieces by hands.
In a bag or bowl, add the maitake and 1 tbsp of flour. Coat the mushrooms thoroughly.
In a separate bowl, mix the egg and flour, gradually add cold water to create the tempura batter.
Heat the cooking oil in a pot to about 180°C (350°F).
Coat the maitake pieces with the tempura batter, then gently drop them into the hot oil.
Fry for about 2–3 minutes, until the tempura is golden and crispy. Remove and drain on a paper towel.

ingredients shopping

Cooking Tips for Maitake Mushroom Tempura

Tear the maitake into large pieces
Tearing the mushrooms into larger pieces makes frying easier. It also enhances the texture and makes them more satisfying to eat.
Once the maitake is in the oil, don’t touch it until the batter sets
This ensures the coating stays intact and gets crispy.
Coat the maitake with flour before dipping into the batter
Be sure to dust the flour into the grooves of the mushroom. This helps the batter stick better and prevents it from falling off during frying.
Use cold water for the batter
Cold water helps prevent gluten formation, resulting in a light and crispy tempura - I add some ice cubes to the water.