Tempura Veggies

Difficulty:
1/5

Fast, healthy, and delicious! Those three words are essential when it comes to cooking for The Urban Vegetarian host, Desiree Nielsen. For this recipe, Desiree shows us how to make light and crunchy tempura vegetables with two wasabi inspired dips. It’s okay to eat the whole batch because the more plants in your diet, the better!

Serves 3-4, as an appetizer

Ingredients:

1½ cups (350 ml) club soda, cold

2 eggs, whites only

¼ teaspoon (1.25 ml) baking soda

2 cups (470 ml) rice flour

Sweet potatoes, peeled and sliced, and parboiled to soften

Small carrots, end and green top trimmed

Purple potatoes, cleaned, sliced, and parboiled to soften

Asparagus spears

Snap peas, trimmed

Canola or peanut oil, for frying

Wasabi Mayo Sauce and/or Wasabi-Cranberry Sauce, to serve (see recipes)

 

Method:

Add a few inches of oil to a deep pot and heat to 350 F (175 C).

Pour soda water into bowl.

Add egg whites and whisk until frothy.

Add baking soda and rice flour, and whisk just to combine.

Using chopsticks, dip each veggie in the batter one at a time, and then carefully place into the hot oil.

Fry the veggies in batches, 4-5 minutes, or until golden, longer for the carrots and potatoes.

Drain on a paper-towel lined plate

Serve with Wasabi Mayo Sauce and Wasabi-Cranberry Sauce (see recipes).

Enjoy!