Brussels Sprouts Tempura with Wasabi-Ginger Dipping Sauce

This recipe serves four.

Ingredients:

  • ½ Lb. brussels sprouts
  • 1 Cup all-purpose flour
  • ½ Cup cornstarch
  • 1 Tsp. baking powder
  • 1 Tsp. salt
  • 1 cup cold water
  • 1 egg
  • 2 Tbsp. vegetable oil
  • As needed vegetable oil for frying
  • To taste, salt and black pepper
  • ½ cup mayonnaise
  • 2 Tbsp. rice vinegar
  • 2 Tsp. pickled or fresh ginger, minced or grated finely
  • To taste wasabi powder

Instructions:

  • Prepare the Brussels sprouts for boiling by trimming the very end of the stem off (don’t cut too deep). Then cut each sprout in half directly through the remaining stem. To each half, make a small incision directly through the stem, but don’t go so deep that it cuts into the leafy area.
  • Bring a small pot of salted water to a rapid boil over as high a heat you can get, and add just a small handful of Brussels sprouts at a time so as to maintain the water boiling. Let boil for as little as 1 minute or up to 2 minutes depending on the size of the sprouts. The sprouts should be cooked on the exterior with a crunch and firmness at the center. Shock the sprouts in a bowl of ice and water to stop the cooking. Repeat with the remaining sprouts. When the sprouts are cold, drain all the ice water and pat them dry with a paper towel. Reserve.
  • Sift together into a bowl the first measure of flour, cornstarch, baking powder and salt.
  • In a separate bowl, whisk together the water, egg and vegetable oil. Add the liquid to the dry ingredients, whisk until smooth. The batter should be a little thinner than pancake batter. If too thick, add more water, if too thin, add more flour. Reserve.
  • Heat a deep fryer with vegetable oil to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Add enough of the batter to coat the sprouts. Remove a few at a time, let any excess batter drip off and carefully place in the fryer. Fry only 10 to 12 sprout pieces at a time until they are a very light golden color. Drain on paper towels. Serve with the dipping sauce prepared by whisking together the mayonnaise, wasabi, vinegar, ginger, seasoning to taste with salt, pepper and sugar. Enjoy!

Lincoln Culinary Institute
 

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