This is a great way to serve vegetables during the late summer months, when the vegetables are coming in by the bushel-full. Make a platter-full of Vegetable Tempura, served with some sliced tomatoes and a beet salad and you have a filling meal.
Ingredients:
Vegetables, cut into strips, slices or cubes
½ C corn starch
1 C flour
¼ tsp salt
dash or two of cayenne pepper
1½ C seltzer water, ice cold
vegetable or peanut oil
Directions:
Heat oil to 350°.
Mix flours, corn starch and spices with a fork. Add water while stirring. Stir just until there are no lumps. Do not over-stir.
Dip vegetable into the batter and put immediately into the oil. Turn a few times to ensure even browning and prevent pieces sticking together. When golden brown, remove from the oil onto paper towels to absorb the oil.
Tips:
- Just about any vegetable does well as a tempura: beans, zucchini, eggplant, asparagus, green tomatoes, sweet potatoes, cauliflower, broccoli, squash blossoms, onions, mushrooms, sweet and hot peppers.
- Cold water will absorb less oil, so put the water into the freezer an hour before cooking to make it cold.
- If the oil is too hot, the coating will brown before the vegetable is tender. If it is too cold, the batter will absorb too much oil.
