Vegetable Tempura
2 tablespoons egg substitute (I use Ener-G brand)
1 tablespoon salt
1 cup cold water
1 cup unbleached all purpose flour
vegetables of your choice, sliced
(carrots, snow peas, green beans, daikon, cabbage, bamboo shoots, lotus root, onions, sweet potatoes work well)
peanut oil, for frying
1. Mix the egg replacer and salt into the cold water. It is important to have to water cold because the batter won't absorb as much oil and won't be gooey.
2. Mix the flour into the water and egg replacer until it is smooth and there are no lumps. Place the batter in the freezer to keep it cold. Pour about 1" peanut oil on the bottom of a frying pan or wok and put it on medium heat.
3. When oil is hot, dip the vegetables in the batter, then fry them in the oil until they are lightly brown. Fry only a few at a time; this may take a while but it will be easier this way.
4. Serve on a platter with soy sauce for dipping or over a bowl of rice.
Itadakimasu! (Bon Appetit!)
SO HOW'D IT GO?
The trick to flaky, crispy tempura is to mix the batter as little as possible, and make sure the water is COLD. Ice water is best. You want to form as little gluten as possible, as that'll make it chewy instead of crispy.
Also, I hate to nitpick, but "Itadakimasu" doesn't mean "Bon appetit" so much as "Thank you for the meal." It's not you'd say to someone else, like you would "bon appetit." It's something you say before partaking in the meal-- think a very short form of grace.
I'd use significantly less salt, maybe a teaspon.
I have to say, I was really glad to find this recipe. Tempura batter isn't that complicated, but having never made it before, I needed some basic guidelines. I used this recipe to make tempura sweet potatoes that I wrapped up in sushi. Delicious.
i love bell pepper tempura. and eggplant.
and bamboo shoots.
okay fine. i just love tempura. great recipe!
Actually you don't even need the egg so don't sweat it if you don't have it, we just use ice cold water and the flour & salt.
It's the secret to keeping the veggies as oil free as possible after you cook them.
The cold repells the absorbition of oil (not competely but it helps).
This recipe is yummy!
Wonderful! It's a family tradition to have fondu on Christmas Eve, so I've had to get creative over the years to make veggie-friendly fondu foods. This year I tried vegetable tempura (sweet potatoes, green beans, mushrooms) and it was perfect! Retro Hippe asked if ground flaxseed egg substitute will work in this recipe, and it definitely does. Will be making again! Thank-you.
Does anyone know where to get King Trumpet mushrooms? I had them in San Francisco - and fell in love! They are absolutely excellent in tempura.
Is there a certain type of grocery store that would carry them? Has ANYone seen them? Or should I just give up?!
They're also called king oyster mushrooms; they sell them in my local Korean market, and I've think I've seen them at Japanese supermarkets... in other words, try asian grocery stores, but if you can't find them, just try oyster mushrooms (they make good tempura too).
Does anyone know where to get King Trumpet mushrooms? I had them in San Francisco - and fell in love! They are absolutely excellent in tempura.
Is there a certain type of grocery store that would carry them? Has ANYone seen them? Or should I just give up?!
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