How to Make Tempura Vegetables

Bring your favorite Oriental dish home with this surprisingly easy recipe! This recipe is for the vegetables themselves, which can then be eaten over rice or eaten by themselves. 

Instructions include:
How to prepare the vegetables
How to prepare the batter
How to properly fry the vegetables

Acquire the Following Ingredients and Tools:

Ingredients:

1 and 1/2 cup all purpose flour
1 and 1/2 cup soda water
1 tablespoon corn starch
1 tsp salt
1 inch Oil (canola, vegetable, olive, etc.)
Various Vegetables to fry *

* I suggest carrots, zucchini, sweet potatoes, and brocolli



Utensils:

Measuring Spoons
Liquid Measuring Cup
Dry Measuring Cups
Medium Mixing Bowl
Wooden Spoon
Medium Cooking Pot
Tongs
Cutting Board
Veggie Cutting Knife

Note: Be sure that you also have access to a stove and a counter.

Wash all of your vegetables and prepare them as desired (dependent on vegetable)

Peel sweet potatoes and zucchini using a vegetable peeler. Peel any garlic, onions, etc. by hand. 

Slice all vegetables about a quarter inch thick. For a traditional cut, set your knife at an angle to get a longer strip of carrots or sweet potatoes, as pictured below. 

Continue until all vegetables are cut.

Fill your medium pot with oil until it is about one inch deep. Place on stove and turn to high. Allow this oil to heat while you do the next two steps.

If you have a thermometer, heat the oil to 375*F and maintain that temperature. If a thermometer is not available, test a small dab of batter in your oil. The oil should sizzle and the batter should turn golden brown in about a minute. If the oil does not sizzle, increase the heat. If the batter turns dark in under a minute, turn down the heat.

Using the Measuring Cups and Spoons, measure out  your ingredients.


Liquid Measuring Cup:

1.5 Cups Soda Water

Dry Measuring Cups:

1.5 Cups Flour

Measuring Spoons:

1 tsp. Salt
1 tblsp. Corn Starch

Combine your dry ingredients into the medium mixing bowl. Add soda water while mixing, and mix to the point of just mixing.

Note: Do not over mix! The batter should be a bit lumpy when finished, and not runny. 

Dip Vegetables into batter, then carefully place in heated oil. Be sure that the oil is at about the right temperature (See step three). Note: Be careful, sometimes the sizzling oil will jump from the pot and burn your skin.

Cook multiple vegetables at the same time, but be sure not to overcrowd the pot. 

When a light golden ring appears at the base of the vegetable, flip it using your tongs to cook the other side. 

Finished vegetables are a golden brown color over the entire surface. Remove from oil and place on a plate (preferably with a paper towel) to drain.

These veggies are delicious served over rice and with soy sauce, but may also be enjoyed on their own.