Tempura Zucchini Recipes

VEGETABLE TEMPURA

Steps:

• Add all the flour to a bowl. With the handle of a spoon, or a chopstick, mix, and stir in the ice-cold water until the mixture is slightly thicker than buttermilk consistency. Make a point of not mixing thoroughly, as tempura is renowned for lumps of flour.
• Dip sliced vegetables (zucchini, onions, eggplants, carrots, bell peppers, sweet potatoes, string beans, broccoli, wild mushrooms, fresh herbs, and bok choy) any vegetables will work but these are the most commonly used) into the batter mixture and shake off any excess.
• Deep fry vegetables in a wok or deep fat fryer (you can use a frying pan if you do not have anything else, you just need about 7cm/3 inches of clean oil) at 200C/400F/Gas 6 until the batter is light golden in color and crisp. (Any large amounts of hot oil in a kitchen, especially in woks which are not always that sturdy, scare me, please be careful and do not leave the pan unattended.) Turn the vegetables at intervals to ensure that both sides are cooked equally and then fish them out with a slotted spoon, shaking off any excess oil. Place them on kitchen paper towels and eat as soon as possible. The reason that I keep going on about eating them so quickly is because as your hot cooked vegetables cool down inside the batter they begin to steam, making them less crisp as time goes on. Good tempura should be crispy and is one of those things that should be made and cooked quickly and eaten straight away.
• Pour the rice wine vinegar into a small bowl. Add the sugar and stir until the sugar is dissolved. Taste for sweetness. Add cilantro, chile, and garlic and mix well. Season with salt and pepper and allow to sit for 10 minutes to 1 hour, for flavors to combine.;

VEGETABLE TEMPURA

Steps:

• Heat two or three inches (more is better) of oil in a deep-fryer or deep saucepan. The oil is ready when it reaches 350 degrees, or when a pinch of flour sizzles immediately. Combine 1 cup water and 1 cup ice; let sit for a minute, then measure 1 cup water from this. Beat lightly with the flour and egg yolks; the batter should be lumpy.
• Dredge the vegetables very lightly in the flour, tapping to remove excess. Then dip them in the batter and immediately put in the oil. You can cook 6 to 8 pieces at a time, depending on the size of your pan. Cook 1 to 2 minutes, no more. Sprinkle with salt and pepper and serve immediately, with lemon wedges and soy sauce if you like.

ZUCCHINI TEMPURA

Steps:

• 1. ZUCCHINI - Slice the zucchini into strips about 2 inches long and 1/2 inch wide. Note: thinner zucchini strips cook faster than thicker ones; think French fries rather than potato wedges.
• 2. DIPPING SAUCE - In a small bowl whisk together the soy sauce, ginger, sugar, garlic and chili sauce. Adjust seasoning to taste. Set aside.
• 3. TEMPURA - Thoroughly whisk flour, cornstarch, baking powder and salt. When the oil reaches 350°F , whisk in enough cold seltzer water (or cold tap water) to make the batter the consistency of heavy cream. NOTE: If you don't have a candy thermometer, heat the oil until it starts to move. Dip a wooden chopstick into the oil. If it bubbles, the oil is hot enough.
• 4. Dip the zucchini in the tempura batter and gently add to the oil. Fry until golden and cooked through, about 5 and 7 minutes but will vary with thickness of the zucchini slice and oil temperature. The oil's temperature will drop when you add the battered vegetables, so allow the oil to heat back up between batches. As soon as the zucchini slices are golden, remove them from the oil with a slotted spoon. Place on several layers of paper towel layers to drain.
• 5. They're best served while still hot. Serve with the dipping sauce.