Tanuki Soba

Prepare dashi stock: Gently wipe kombu with a damp cloth. Place kombu and 1000 grams of water in a pot and heat slowly. Just before boiling, remove kombu. Bring water to a boil, then add 20 grams katsuobushi. Turn off heat immediately and let katsuobushi steep for 5 minutes. Strain the dashi stock through a fine-mesh sieve lined with a paper towel or cheesecloth.

Prepare soba broth: In a separate pot, combine 800 grams of the prepared dashi stock with 60 grams usukuchi soy sauce, 40 grams mirin, and 20 grams sake. Bring to a gentle simmer over medium heat and keep warm.

Make tenkasu: In a bowl, whisk 50 grams tempura flour with 80 grams cold water until just combined, leaving some lumps. Heat 500 grams vegetable oil in a deep pot to 170°C. Drizzle small amounts of the tempura batter into the hot vegetable oil using chopsticks or your fingers, creating small droplets. Fry until golden and crispy. Remove tenkasu with a slotted spoon and drain excess oil on paper towels.