tempura soba

all i want to eat in this heatwave

Before I get to this week’s recipe, I want to share an update on my second cookbook, PlantAsia: A Vegetarian Cookbook Through Asia. I published PlantAsia in 2023 because I believe that part of eating sustainably is reducing our overconsumption of meat. As someone who does eat meat, I wanted to explore the ways in which Asian cuisines make vegetables as delicious and satisfying.

What began as a self-published passion project has since found readers around the world, and last year I signed with a publisher to bring a new global edition to bookstores internationally.

It’s been incredibly rewarding to see the book take on a new life. But it also means that the original edition — the one I independently created, edited, and published — is approaching its final chapter. There are now just 175 copies remaining in Singapore, and once these are gone, I will not be reprinting this edition.

If you’ve been meaning to add PlantAsia to your bookshelf, or if you’d like to own the original edition that started this journey, order it while stocks last (free shipping for Singaporean addresses).

Whether you bought the book, cooked from the ebook, or have simply followed along on this journey, thank you. Your support has made it possible for this self-published cookbook to grow into something bigger than I’d imagined.

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TEMPURA SOBA

We’re right smack in the middle of a heatwave right now. You’d think that as people who grew up in Singapore, we would be adjusting better to this sudden spurt of heat but we’re not! For one, air-conditioning in homes and public spaces are the norm; and two, after having living in the Netherlands for the past three years, our bodies are now slightly more adapted to the cold. In the absence of an air-conditioning unit at home, the way we’ve been coping is through chilled beverages and meals.

I am a huge fan of cold / cool noodles, such as this chicken rice-inspired glass noodles and cold noodles with peanut butter dressing. Recently, for dinner, we had tempura soba, which was not only a way to beat the heat, but also a way to clear my fridge of all the bits and bobs of vegetables I had.

Funnily enough, I couldn’t find tempura flour at the Asian supermarket or regular supermarket, so I made my own really quickly with pantry ingredients and it turned out well. The main thing to note is that the batter should be closer to the consistency of heavy cream than pancake batter, so that it fries up as a wispy coating than a thick shell. Deep-fried food might be the last thing on your mind in hot weather, but tempura is so light and delicate that it doesn’t weigh you down, and it’s absolutely delicious when dipped briefly in that iced sauce.

Tempura soba
Serves 2

For the soba and sauce:
200g mirin
120g soy sauce
1 teaspoon dashi powder
Squeeze of lemon or yuzu juice
400g cold water
2 bundles dried soba

For the tempura:
Oil, for deep-frying
125g plain flour
2 tablespoons cornstarch
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
240g sparkling water
1 egg yolk
A few shelled prawns, deveined (score the underside to prevent from curling up)
Assorted vegetables of your choice, such as a few pumpkin slices, shimeiji clusters, trimmed French beans, bite-size pieces of eggplant etc.

For serving:
Thinly sliced spring onion
A handful of ice cubes
Wasabi paste (optional)

1. Make the sauce: In a bowl, combine the mirin, soy sauce, dashi powder, lemon or yuzu juice, and cold water. Place in the refrigerator to chill.

2. Boil the soba: Fill a pot with salted water and bring it to the boil. Add the soba and cook for 2 minutes, or until al dente. Drain and rinse in cool running tapwater to get rid of excess starch. Drain very well and set aside.

3. Prepare the tempura: In a wide saucepan, heat the oil for deep-frying. In a bowl, whisk together the flour, cornstarch, baking powder, salt, sparkling water, and egg yolk to form a watery batter that still coats your finger when you dip it inside. When the oil is hot, dip the prawns in the batter, allowing excess to drip off, then add them to the pan. When golden and crispy, transfer the prawns to paper towels to drain. Repeat this with the vegetables.

4. To serve: Arrange the vegetables attractively on a sharing platter. Divide the soba between two serving bowls (if the soba sticks together, rinse and drain again). Top with the spring onion. Pour over the sauce and add the ice cubes. Serve with wasabi and the tempura on the side (they are delicious dipped into the sauce).

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If you’re in the Netherlands...

I’ll be signing books and speaking about food heritage at Lion City in Rotterdam on 2 August 2026 (12:00-15:30). The event is free to attend — to sign up, reserve your spot via the Lion City website. I’ll have copies of both my cookbooks (Wet Market to Table and PlantAsia) available, and you’re also very welcome to bring along your own copy for signing. See you there!