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Tempura with Eggless Batter

• 3 cups all purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 2 cups ice water
• Soybean oil
• Any of your favorite vegetables, including:
  • Carrots
  • Green pepper
  • Sweet potatoes
  • Mushrooms
  • Green onions
  • Onions

In a wok or saucepan, heat the vegetable oil. Make sure you use an oil with a high smoke point like soybean or safflower. You will know the oil is hot enough when you place a drop of water in it and it sizzles loudly. Place the ice water in a bowl and mix in the flour and baking powder. Do not over mix the batter! The consistency should be quite thick, not runny like a pancake batter, and the bowl should still have some dry spots of flour in it.

Slice the vegetables thinly (the green onions you can leave whole). A helpful tip for using round onions in tempura is to peel the onion and slice it in half, then stick toothpicks in regular intervals around the onion. With a sharp knife, slice between the toothpicks. You will then have a nice onion slice that will hold together when it is deep-fried.

Dip the vegetable pieces into the batter and coat them well. Slowly lower the battered vegetables into the hot oil. Be careful not to let them touch the bottom of the pan or they will stick. Do not overcrowd the vegetables in the oil. Leave room for the fritter to expand in the hot oil. Turn them over once and remove them just before they start to turn brown. If you let them turn brown, the tempura will soak up more of the oil during the cooking and the end result will have much more fat content in it. Drain the tempura on a plate covered with paper towels.

Agedashi Tofu

• Potato starch (available in Japanese and Korean stores)
• 1 package tofu, firm
• Soybean oil

There is no need to squeeze the tofu because the moisture will help the potato starch stick to it. Cut the tofu into bite size strips. Roll the tofu strips in a plate of potato starch, making sure that each piece is completely covered. Follow the instructions in the Tempura recipe about using a safe oil and how to deep fry with less fat.

Dipping Sauce

• 1/4 cup soy sauce
• 1/2 cup water
• 1 teaspoon sugar
• 1/2 cup grated radish

Mix everything together except the radish. Adjust the sweetness to your taste. You can use the white daikon radish or the red radish. Grate it with a cheese grater and add to the sauce. Mix well and set aside for 20-30 minutes for the flavors to mature.

Soy Sprout Salad

• 1 lb. soy sprouts
• 1 tablespoon minced garlic
• 1 tablespoon minced green onions
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon sesame oil
• 1 teaspoon cayenne pepper
• 1/2 teaspoon sugar

Wash and rinse the soy sprouts. Traditionally, you would blanch the soy sprouts in boiling water to wilt them, but you can use the microwave to shorten the process. Pour 1/4 cup of water over the sprouts and microwave for 6-8 minutes. Transfer the cooked soy sprouts into ice water until cooled. Using your hands, drain the soy sprouts and squeeze out the water. Toss all the ingredients in a bowl until evenly mixed.