Vegan Vegetable Tempura Recipes

Steps:

• Fill a large bowl with ice cubes. Mix flour and arrowroot powder together a smaller bowl; set over the ice cubes. Pour ice water slowly into the flour mixture, mixing until the batter has a medium-thick texture.
• Heat oil in a deep-fryer or large saucepan over medium-high heat. Dip each piece of cauliflower into the batter and cook in batches in the hot oil until golden brown, 1 to 2 minutes. Place on paper towels to absorb excess oil. Repeat with broccoli, red bell pepper, and baby carrots.

Steps:

• For the dipping sauce: Combine kelp and shiitake mushroom in a small bowl. Add 1 cup cold water and allow to soak for 3 hours. Strain and set the clear, amber liquid aside; discard kelp and mushroom. Pour mirin and light-colored soy sauce in a small pot over medium-high heat, and bring to a boil. Add 1/2 cup of the soaking liquid from the kelp and mushroom. Remove from heat, and set aside. In a separate bowl, mix the daikon and ginger; set aside.
• For the tempura: Pour oil into a large wok or pot so that the oil is two inches deep. Heat over medium-high heat until oil is 350 degrees. Set aside a baking sheet with a rack lined with paper towels, and a small long-handled fine-meshed strainer for removing excess fried batter.
• Pour 1 cup ice-cold water into a medium bowl. Add 1 cup plus 2 tablespoons cake flour, and whisk to blend lightly. Place about 1/2 cup cake flour into another bowl. Dip each slice of vegetable into dry flour, shake off excess, and then dip each slice of vegetable into the batter.
• Fry the vegetables in batches to be sure they are not crowded. Place 4 to 5 vegetable pieces in the oil and fry, turning once or twice, until golden and crisp, 2 to 2 1/2 minutes. Using the long-handled strainer, remove excess bits of fried batter to keep the oil clean. Transfer to the baking sheet to drain. Continue until all the vegetables are fried.
• To serve, place a paper napkin in the center of a platter, and arrange the vegetables on the platter. Pour off excess moisture from grated daikon and grated ginger. Place daikon and ginger mixture in the center of the dipping sauce, arranged as a little pointed mound. Serve tempura with dipping sauce.

Steps:

• Prepare your vegetables, cut into fair size.
• Sift the flour, baking powder and salt into a large bowl and whisk thoroughly.
• Heat oil in a wok to 375°F, you will know because a wooden spoon dipped in the oil will sizzle.
• Add just enough water to the batter so it's relatively thick but not too watery, you don't want to mix this into a smooth cream, you want it really chunky to add to the final texture.
• Coat the vegetable pieces in flour, then dip into the batter, you want to ensure it is covered completely or oil will leak in and make it extremely greasy.
• Deep fry in batches, until lightly golden brown and crispy (about 2-4 mins).
• Drain and remove onto a plate with some kitchen paper.

Steps:

• Heat oven to 150C/fan 130C/gas 2. Mix together the sauce ingredients in a small bowl. Make the batter (see right). Cover a baking tray with sheets of kitchen paper. Start to heat a deep-fat frying pan or large wok a third full of oil and have the frying basket, or slotted spoon to hand
• When the oil reaches 190C dip some of the prepared veg briefly into the batter, shake off any excess, then lower straight into the hot oil. Don't crowd the frying basket. Fry for about 2 mins until light golden and crisp, then drain on kitchen paper.
• Repeat with the remaining vegetables in batches, dipping into the batter just before you fry them and remember to let the oil heat back up to temperature between each batch. Keep the tempura warm in the oven, leaving the door slightly ajar so that they stay crisp. They are best served immediately on a warm plate with the sauce alongside for dipping.