Udon with Soft-Boiled-Egg Tempura

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.

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

Make a tempura batter by stirring together 1 cup 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.

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.