Vegetable Tempura

Ingredients

• 1 cup flour (I used whole wheat flour)
• 2 tbsp cornstarch
• 1 tbsp baking powder
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1 cup sparkling water
• 2 cups oil (see notes)
• 1 large carrot (sliced)
• 1/2 large red bell pepper (julienned)
• 1/2 large head of broccoli (chopped, discard the stem)
• 1/2 large zucchini (julienned)
• 1 cup vegetable stock or water
• 1/4 cup soy sauce or tamari
• 1/4 cup mirin (see notes)
• 2 tbsp maple syrup

Instructions

1. 1

   Add the flour, cornstarch, baking powder, and salt to a large bowl and stir until well combined.

2. 2

   Add the sparkling water gently, while you're whisking until well combined, but don't over-mix. You can use a whisk, a fork or your chopsticks. Set aside.

3. 3

   Dip veggies into the batter, one at a time, to lightly coat, shaking off any excess batter.

4. 4

   Pour the oil into a saucepan, wok, pot or a deep skillet and when it's hot, add the veggies. Cook for 1-2 minutes. Flip and cook 1-2 minutes on opposite sides. You could also use a fryer, but I prefer this method.

5. 5

   To make your tempura extra crispy and extra beautiful, dip your chopsticks into the batter and just pat on the veggies. Repeat a few times on each piece of tempura. This step is optional.

6. 6

   Don't add too many veggies at the same time or the temperature of the oil will drop and your tempura will go soggy. I usually add 4, but the number may vary depending on the size of your veggies. If you want to save time and you don't mind getting a better result, just add as many veggies as you want.

7. 7

   Transfer the veggies to a cooling rack, that way they won't go soggy, and also they will be less greasy. You can also use a paper towel, but the rack works amazing and is also zero waste.

8. 8

   To make the sauce, just mix all the ingredients in a saucepan, bring to a boil and simmer for 5 minutes.

9. 9

   You can keep the sauce in an airtight container or a jar in the fridge for at least 1 week. The tempura is best when fresh, but you can keep the leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for 3-4 days. The sauce is optional, but your tempura pieces will taste much better if you dip them into the sauce.