Ingredients
Serves 2
BATTER
WASABI DUST
Method
- Preheat the oven to 140°C.
- Spread the wasabi onto a piece of baking paper on a tray. Bake for 15–20 minutes or until dry. Remove from the oven and place in a small bowl. Grind until dust forms, then add the green tea and set aside.
- To make the batter, place the flour in a large bowl, add the iced water and mayonnaise, then whisk until smooth. Try to work quickly so you don’t overwork the batter. Place in the fridge to keep cold.
- To a saucepan, add enough vegetable oil to completely cover the vegetables when frying. Heat the oil to 180°C.
- When the oil is heated, remove the batter from the fridge. Dip all the vegetables into the batter using chopsticks or tongs, then place straight into the oil. Fry in batches, so you don’t overfill the saucepan. Cook each piece for about 1 minute or until lightly golden. Remove and place on paper towel to drain. Repeat until all veggies are cooked.
- To serve, place the tempura vegetables in a bowl, sprinkle with the wasabi and green tea dust, and drizzle some extra vegan mayo over the top.
TIP: The secret to getting a really crisp batter is using ice water. This also prevents gluten strings from forming. The less gluten, the higher the crispness. The cold batter also gains crispness from the temperature shock of hitting the hot oil.
