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Singha Beer-Battered Tempura Vegetables with Burnt Chilli Dipping Sauce

sharing plate, snacks, vegan, vegetarianSeb HolmesFarang Londonbatter, crispy, chillispicy, chilli, green chilli, long dried chilli, birds eye chilli, #food #foodie #eat #yummyfood #foodbible #goodfood #cooking #instafood #instagood #follow #followme #instadaily #happy #beautiful #freshfood #freshcurrypaste #freshfoods #freshfoodmarket #handmade #handmadeuk #homedelivery #chillies #chillilovers #currypaste #thaicurry #currynight #thaifood, dried chilli, vegetable oil, vegan recipe, vegetarian recipe, fritter, fried, green beans, carrot, singha, beer, beer batter, tempura, soy, kale, mushrooms, pickled onion, onion, dipping sauce, sebby holmes, Sebby Holmes, farang, farang london, payst, payst london, partyfood, snack, nibble, sharing plate, recipe, restaurant, chef recipe, london chef, chef, salt, sea salt, shallots, banana shallots, rice flour, white pepper, sweet chilli, burnt chilli, curry leaves, garlic, chives, friued mushrooms, tempura vegetables, Singha beer, vegan, Thai snack, crispy vegetables, burnt chilli sauce, Farang LondonComment
Singha Beer-Battered Tempura Vegetables with Burnt Chilli Dipping Sauce

Years ago I was asked to cater canapes for the launch of Chang beer's new bottle design at the OXO Tower in central London. Beer battered tempura vegetables was what I went with - it made sense given the brief and it worked well. I originally made it with Chang but after cooking it a few more times I actually prefer Singha. It's a little lighter and the batter comes out cleaner and crisper. Chang is a great beer for drinking. Singha is better for this.

The batter has a British touch to it - turmeric and mild curry powder in the flour mix give it colour and a gentle warmth that a straight Japanese tempura doesn't have. The key to keeping it crispy is not over-mixing. A few lumps in the batter are not a problem - they crisp up in the oil and add texture. Use chopsticks instead of a whisk if you want to mix without overdoing it. Keep everything cold - the beer, the batter, and if it's a warm day throw a couple of ice cubes into the mix while you fry.

The kale technique is worth knowing. Tossing it in soy sauce before battering seasons the leaves from the inside before they hit the oil, in the same way a dressing seasons a salad. We do the same with cavolo nero and Asian cabbage sometimes. It's a simple way of adding flavour before cooking rather than just salting at the end.

As for the vegetables - these aren't fixed. The aubergine, green beans, carrot, kale and pickled shallot combination works well but this batter will do good things to most vegetables worth frying. Courgette flowers are another one to try if you can get hold of them.

Singha Beer-Battered Tempura Vegetables

Serves: 2 as a snack or sharing plate Prep: 20 minutes Cook: 15 minutes Difficulty: Easy

Ingredients

For the vegetables

  • 1 aubergine, peeled and cut into thick matchsticks

  • A handful green beans, blanched in boiling salted water for 3 minutes then refreshed in ice water

  • 2 carrots, cut into bite-sized chunks, blanched in boiling salted water for 3 minutes then refreshed in ice water

  • 50g kale, tossed in soy sauce

  • 2 banana shallots, peeled, sliced into bite-sized pieces and lightly pickled in rice vinegar

  • A few pinches of sea salt

For the batter

  • 100g rice flour, sifted

  • 30g tapioca flour (rice flour or cornflour works too)

  • 1 tsp mild curry powder

  • 1/2 tsp turmeric powder

  • 1 pinch sea salt

  • 1 pinch white pepper

  • 240ml Singha beer, ice cold

  • A few ice cubes (optional, helps on a warm day)

To serve

Method

  1. Get all your vegetables prepped and arranged within arm's reach of the oil before you start frying. Have trays lined with kitchen paper ready to drain onto.

  2. Make the batter. Mix the rice flour, tapioca flour, curry powder, turmeric, salt and white pepper together in a bowl. Remove half of this dry mix and set it aside for dredging. To the remaining half, add the cold Singha and mix - use chopsticks rather than a whisk to avoid over-mixing. A few lumps are fine and will crisp up nicely in the oil. Add a couple of ice cubes if it's a warm day.

  3. Heat a deep wok or pan of vegetable oil to 180°C. Working one piece at a time, dredge each vegetable in the dry flour mix, then dip into the beer batter, then lower gently into the oil using tongs. Fry for 30 seconds to a minute until golden and crispy, turning so both sides colour evenly. Don't overcrowd the pan.

  4. Remove with tongs and drain on kitchen paper. Season immediately with a pinch of sea salt while still hot. Keep going until everything is cooked - work quickly.

  5. Serve straight away on a sharing plate scattered with crispy curry leaves, shallots, garlic and a dusting of chilli powder. Chopped chives over the top. Both dipping sauces alongside. Extra cold Singha on the table.

Chef's notes

Tempura waits for nobody. Eat it immediately out of the oil - the longer it sits the more it loses its crispiness.

The batter works on most vegetables worth frying. Courgette flowers are a particular winner if you can find them. Keep the batter cold throughout - temperature is what keeps it light.

Both dipping sauces are available for next day delivery at payst.co.uk. More recipes at faranglondon.co.uk.

Crispy Singha beer-battered tempura vegetables with crispy curry leaves, chilli powder and dipping sauce on a sharing plate
Crispy Singha beer-battered tempura vegetables with crispy curry leaves, chilli powder and dipping sauce on a sharing plate

Head chef & founder of Farang London restaurant. Cookbook author of ‘Cook Thai’ & ‘Thai in 7’. Chief curry paste basher and co-founder of Payst London.