Vegetable tempura — www.wt8p.com
Dipping sauce:
1/2 C soy sauce
1 t grated ginger
1/4 C brown rice syrup (or mirin if you have it)Batter:
2 eggs
2 C very cold water
2 C flourVegetables: (choose four)
1 medium head of broccoli, cut into small florets
10 small to medium-sized mushrooms (stems removed)
1/3 pound (fresh, not canned) green beans
1 large zucchini, cut into 1/2″ thick circles
1/2 small winter squash (like a butternut, acorn, pumpkin), sliced into 1/4″ thick wedges
1 large carrot, sliced into 1/4″ matchsticks
1 medium potato, sliced into 1/4″ circles
small sweet potato, sliced into 1/4″ circles
eggplant, which resembles neither eggs nor plants, sliced into 1/4″ thick circles
1 bell pepper (pick your color), seeded, sliced into 1/4″ thick ridges
Small sticks of banana
- Make the dipping sauce: heat the brown rice syrup/mirin to boiling. Remove from heat, and stir in the soy sauce and ginger. Pour the sauce into four bowls.
- Pick four of the vegetables above and chop them into the sizes indicated above.
- Heat the oil to 350°F
- Make the batter: beat the eggs gently until broken up. Mix in cold water and sift in flour. Stir lightly until combined, lumps are okay.
- Dip the vegetables into the batter and fry for 5-6 minutes, until browned. Drain on a grill, catching the oil on the bottom.
- Serve with steamed rice and dipping sauce.