📂 Light Dinners
#Vegetarian
#Gluten-Free
#Low Fat
#Appetizer
Light Baked Vegetable Tempura
🥦 Enjoy the crunch of tempura without deep-frying. Seasonal vegetables coated in a light batter and baked until golden brown.
🛒 Ingredients
- 5.3 oz Zucchini
- 5.3 oz Carrots
- 3.5 oz Bell pepper
- 5.3 oz Broccoli
- 3.5 oz Rice flour
- 5 fl oz Very cold sparkling water
- EVOO
🥦 Baked Tempura: Crunch Without Guilt
Japanese tempura is a wonderful culinary technique that provides a light, crispy batter to vegetables. However, deep-frying it in abundant hot oil skyrockets the dish's calories. With this baked version, we manage to replicate that crispy, airy bite using the oven, turning a fried treat into a completely healthy dinner or starter.
🥕 Why it is exceptionally healthy
- Reduced Oxidized Fats: By skipping the deep fryer, we eliminate the massive absorption of oils subjected to high temperatures, protecting our cardiovascular health.
- Intact Fiber and Vitamins: The quick baking encases the vegetable, allowing it to steam inside without losing a large part of its water-soluble nutrients.
- Digestible Batter: By using rice or chickpea flour and sparkling water, we get a gluten-free coating that is much lighter on the stomach.
📝 Step-by-Step Preparation
- Vegetable Preparation: Cut 5.3 oz (150g) of zucchini into sticks, 5.3 oz (150g) of carrots into thick strips, 3.5 oz (100g) of red bell pepper into strips, and break 5.3 oz (150g) of broccoli into very small florets. Dry all vegetables perfectly with paper towels.
- The Batter Secret: In a large bowl, mix 3.5 oz (100g) of rice flour (or buckwheat flour) with a pinch of salt and 1/2 teaspoon of baking powder.
- Thermal Shock: Gradually pour in 5 fl oz (150ml) of very cold (almost freezing) sparkling water. Stir lightly with a whisk; it's okay if there are some lumps. It's better not to overmix so it doesn't become dense.
- Coating: Dip the vegetables in batches into the batter, letting the excess drip off against the edge of the bowl.
- Arrangement: Place the coated vegetables on a baking tray lined with lightly greased parchment paper or a silicone mat. Make sure they don't touch each other.
- High Baking: Spray a little EVOO on top (or dab lightly with a brush). Bake in a preheated oven at 430°F (220°C) for 15-20 minutes, flipping halfway through, until the batter is dry, golden, and crispy. Serve immediately with soy sauce diluted with water and lemon.
