Succulent shrimp beautifully caramelized with a glaze mimic the enticing texture of unagi, arranged on a bed of crispy tempura veggies. Golden yellow, orange, and green colors contrast against the soft, inviting white of the Japanese rice. The dish is completed by light drizzles of plum wine sauce, which add a gleaming touch and subtle dashes of color. On the side, garnished with a sprig of fresh mint, is a small dish of extra plum wine sauce, inviting you to indulge.

Unagi-style Shrimp with Summer Vegetable Tempura & Plum Wine Sauce

Name: Unagi-style Shrimp with Summer Vegetable Tempura & Plum Wine Sauce
Prep time: 40 min
Cook time: 20 min
Total time: 60 min
Yield: 2 servings
Cuisine: Japanese
Ingredients: 12 pieces Shrimp peeled and deveined; 1 cup Eggplants thinly sliced; 1 cup Bell peppers thinly sliced; 1 cup Zucchinis thinly sliced; 1 cup Rice Flour for coating; 2 tablespoons Japanese Sake; 2 tablespoons Mirin; 2 tablespoons Soy Sauce; 3-4 tablespoons Plum Wine; 1 teaspoon Sugar; 2 sprigs Fresh mint for garnish; 1 cup Japanese Rice cooked; sufficient Vegetable Oil for frying; pinch Salt

A refreshing, light and unique summer dish

Category Main Course

Prep 40 minutes

Cook 20 minutes

Style Japanese

Technique Deep-Frying

Diet Friendly Pescatarian

Daily recipe · August 27, 2023

A little about this dish

Get ready to delight your senses with this unique and contemporary spin on a Japanese favorite. The key ingredients are juicy shrimp and an alluring collection of summer vegetables. These are coupled with the captivating sweetness of a delicate plum wine sauce which infuses a refreshing note in this creation.

Ingredients (for 2)

Shrimp — 12 pieces — peeled and deveined
Eggplants — 1 cup — thinly sliced
Bell peppers — 1 cup — thinly sliced
Zucchinis — 1 cup — thinly sliced
Rice flour — 1 cup — for coating
Japanese sake — 2 tablespoons
Mirin — 2 tablespoons
Soy sauce — 2 tablespoons
Plum wine — 3-4 tablespoons
Sugar — 1 teaspoon
Fresh mint — 2 sprigs — for garnish
Japanese rice — 1 cup — cooked
Vegetable oil — sufficient — for frying
Salt — pinch

Preparation

Step 1 — 🍤🍶⏲️

Mix sake, mirin, and soy sauce in a bowl. Add the shrimp and let it marinate for at least 30 minutes.
Step 2 — 🍆🌶️🥒

Dust the eggplant, bell peppers, and zucchini slices in rice flour to coat evenly.
Step 3 — 🛢️🔥🥦

Heat vegetable oil in a deep pan and fry the vegetable slices until crispy and golden. Let them rest on a paper towel to remove excess oil.
Step 4 — 🍤🔥🍳

Using the same pan as before, fry the marinated shrimp until they are glazed and start to caramelize.
Step 5 — 🍷🥄🍯

In a separate saucepan, mix plum wine and sugar and let it simmer until it thickens into a sauce.
Step 6 — 🍽️🍚🥘

On a plate, place the crispy vegetables first, then add the hot Japanese rice. Arrange the shrimp on top and gently drizzle the plum wine sauce.
Step 7 — 🌱🍽️🥂

Finish by garnishing with a sprig of fresh mint and serve with extra plum wine sauce on the side.

A final fox tip

This recipe pays homage to the classic Japanese Unagi (eel) dish, using accessible and sustainable shrimp as a delightful substitute. Kids can help with dusting vegetables in rice flour. For an added kick, you might add wasabi to your plum wine sauce, but be cautious with the amount!