tentsuyu

Tentsuyu is a dipping sauce used for tempura in Japanese cuisine. It is typically a seasoned dashi-based sauce, made by combining dashi with soy sauce, mirin, and a small amount of sugar. Some recipes include sake to deepen the flavor. The sauce is often prepared by simmering the dashi with soy sauce, mirin, and sugar until the sugar dissolves, then cooled before serving.

Commonly served with tempura pieces, tentsuyu is poured into a small cup or bowl and used for dipping. Diners often accompany the sauce with grated daikon, and sometimes with ginger or green onions, which are mixed into the sauce to taste.

There are variations in sweetness and strength; some recipes call for a lighter, less sweet version using only dashi, soy sauce, and mirin, while others emphasize a stronger soy flavor or include sake.

In Japanese cuisine, tentsuyu is distinct from general tsuyu, which is used for dipping soba or udon. Tentsuyu specifically denotes the tempura dipping sauce, though the base components are shared.

Store tentsuyu in the refrigerator; it can be kept for several days. Commercial mixes and bottled tentsuyu are common, and home cooks may adjust sweetness by adding more mirin or sugar.