We are getting close to Christmas and you might have already started to thing about the menu for Christmas lunch.
This starter is something you can prepare in advance and then deep fry in the last minute. The vegetables we use don’t have much water, so you can cut them and keep them in the fridge until needed. You can also prepare the dip and the tempura before hand.
Then, it will only take a few minutes to fry the nests. Eat them inmediately to enjoy them crisp!!
Basic ingredients:
1/2 leek
1 piece of cauliflower
2 carrots
Ingredients for the tempura:
50 g of semi brown flour or white flour
1 teaspoon arrowroot
Salt and pepper
About 1/3 glass of water
Sunflower oil for frying
Ingredients for the dip:
1 tsp of shiro miso
2 tbsp of concentrated apple juice
1 tsp of mirim
1 tsp of rice vinegar
Preparation
Prepare the tempura by mixing the ingredients with the cold water to obtain a semi-liquid consistency, add the water slowly, you might not need all.
Store in the refrigerator while you cut the vegetables.
Cut the leek into long slices about 4 cm. Cut each slice in half and then each half lengthwise to make thin sticks. Use also the green part of the leek, it will bring colour to the dish.
Cut the cauliflower into tiny flowers. The amount of cauliflower should be about half the volume of the leek.
Cut the carrots into matchsticks. The amount of carrots should be similar to the leek.
Mix the vegetables.
Prepare the dressing now by mixing the ingredients and place it in small bowls.
Heat up the oil. To know when the oil is ready for the tempura, you can use a wooden stick. Introduce one end in the pan, if the oil begins to bubble around the stick, the oil is at the right temperature. If there are no bubbles, it is still cold.
Mix the tempura with the vegetables and use your hands to take small amounts and place them in the oil. If you prefer you can use some tweezers, try to have variety of vegetables in each nest.
Place only 3-4 nests in the oil at a time. As always, wait until it has browned on one side before turning it over and try not to remove the tempura. If you do so, the oil wil lose temperature and the tempura won’t be as crisp.
Place them on absorbent paper and serve inmediately with the dip and some grated radish or daikon!!
Cook them with love…. and enjoy!!
