SERVES 4

A specialty of the Chikusei udon shop in the city of Takamatsu is its tempura made of soft-boiled eggs.

5 eggs
Canola oil
1 1/2 cup cake flour
3 tbsp. cornstarch
Sliced scallions
Tenkatsu (tempura-batter flakes) 
 

1. Put 4 eggs into a pot, cover them with water, and bring to a boil. Boil eggs for 3 minutes. Chill the eggs in a bowl of ice water; carefully peel away the shells.

2. Pour enough oil into a large pot that it reaches a depth of 2" and heat it over medium-high heat to 350°.

3. Make a tempura batter by stirring together 3 cups of the flour and cornstarch in a bowl. In another bowl, whisk together remaining egg with 1⁄2 cup plus 2 tbsp. ice-cold water. Pour the liquid into the flour mixture and stir briefly with a fork. The batter should be a combination of dry and wet lumps; it's important not to overmix.

4. Gently roll the soft-boiled eggs in remaining 1⁄3 cup cake flour, then dip them in the batter. Fry the eggs, turning occasionally, until just golden and crunchy, about 3 minutes. Serve the eggs on top of udon noodles bathed with a few tablespoons dashi and sprinkled with scallions and the crisp tenkatsu.