This easy tempura dipping sauce recipe is made without Dashi and is ready in about 5 minutes, plus time to cool down.
Ingredients
Soy Sauce – Low sodium is the way to go. Any good soy sauce will do.
Sweet Rice Cooking Wine – Also known as Mirin, this is a sweet rice wine used in Japanese cooking. You can find sweet rice wine in the supermarket, in the International section. Kikkoman is pretty easy to find and it’s inexpensive.
A squeeze of Lemon Juice and a pinch of Sugar
Fun Food Fact: The Kikkoman iconic bottle was designed in 1961 by Kenji Ekuan
Homemade Tempura Sauce Recipe Instructions
Combine all ingredients in a small saucepan. Stirring frequently brings the mixture to a boil. Remove from stove and serve warm. My small butter warmer from “Made in” is perfect for cooking up these small-batch sauces.
That’s all there is to it!
How to Store Tempura Sauce?
Store in a covered container in the fridge for 4-5 days. I have a ton of jelly jars with lids that I use to store sauces and dips.
How else to use tempura sauce?
This dipping sauce isn’t just for Tempura; here are a few ideas:
- Drizzle over pan-fried salmon
- Use as a glaze for roasted vegetables
- California Roll or Sushi if you like.
- Sprinkle over steamed rice and vegetables
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Tempura Sauce
Ingredients
- ¼ cup Low Sodium Soy Sauce
- ¼ cup Sweet Rice Wine
- Squeeze of Lemon Juice
- Pinch of Sugar
- ⅔ cup water
Instructions
- Combine all ingredients in a small saucepan. Stirring frequently bring the mixture to a boil.
- Remove from stove and serve warm.
Notes
- While not traditionally used, I add a small amount of sugar to balance out the salty flavor of the soy sauce. Start with a small amount, taste, and adjust as necessary.
- After combining your ingredients in a saucepan, bring them to a simmer over medium heat. You want the flavors to meld together, but boiling the sauce can result in an overly strong flavor.
- Tempura dipping sauce is typically served at room temperature or slightly warm, not hot. This helps preserve the delicate flavor of the tempura.
Nutrition Disclaimer
I am not a certified Dietitian or Nutritionist. The nutrition amounts given below is an estimate only and provided as a general guide only.
I was out of dashi so I made this recipe. I think I ended up using close to 1 t of sugar. I know tempura sauce should be thin but I added a small amount of cornstarch slurry to help it stick to the tempura. It is very good.