Vegetable Tempura

I adapted this recipe from Cook's Illustrated Shrimp Tempura. I used vegetables and it worked great. Make sure to add the seltzer water first to the beaten egg. If you add the vodka first, the egg gets stringy and lumpy.

Normally, the liquids have to be cold. But the original recipe did not specify this. I used room temperature ingredients (except for the eggs, which were cold) and the batter was perfect. The coating is light and crispy, just like what I have at a restaurant. Maybe even a little better.

This makes a lot of batter. I used 3 carrots, whole head of broccoli (which I did not like) and one shallot. I still had a lot of batter left over.


What vegetables work great and how to prepare them?
Broccoli - I did not like. The batter seeped into the middle and made the broccoli heavy.
Carrots - this is my favorite vegetable to make. I quarter the carrot lengthwise and then steam until firm but tender to bite
Onions - slice about 1/4 inch and keep the rings together
Mushrooms - did not try, but I would think these work great
Asparagus – keep whole or cut into half
Bell peppers - cut into strips lengthwise
Zucchini - cut into 1/2 inch rounds
Asparagus - cut off the tough ends and put into batter raw
Sweet Potatoes - cut into sticks and steam until firm but tender to bite
Cantaloupe - cut into chunks

Vegetable Tempura
1 1/2 cups unbleached all purpose flour
1/2 cup cornstarch
1 large egg
1 cup seltzer water, room temperature
1 cup vodka, room temperature

Prepare the vegetables as described above.

Heat vegetable oil to 400 F in a heavy bottom pot.

Combine dry ingredients in a big bowl. In a smaller bowl, whisk the egg to break up the yolk and white. Add the seltzer water. Whisk until egg and water are indistinguishable and then add the vodka.

When the oil is 385 F, combine the wet and the dry and mix quickly with a whisk until combined. I mixed it until it had a few lumps here and there. Dip the vegetables in, remove and submerge into oil as quickly as you can. Fry until lightly golden and drain on paper towels.

Discard the remaining batter.