Vegetable tempura

People think tempura is a difficult dish, but in fact, it is very easy. The key to creating the perfect light yet crispy batter is using ice-cold carbonated water. To save time, go for vegetables that need minimal preparation, such as broccoli and button mushrooms. The dipping sauce can be made in advance and stored in the fridge, in a sealed container, for up to three days

Serves 4 200ml sunflower oil, for frying 8 spears of tenderstem broccoli 8 baby carrots 8 radishes 12 button mushrooms For the batter: 150g plain (all-purpose) flour 100g cornflour (cornstarch) 1 tsp baking powder 200ml ice-cold sparkling water For the dipping sauce: 200g passata 2 tbsps soy sauce 1 tbsp maple syrup ½ tsp dried chilli flakes handful of fresh coriander, finely chopped 1 lime

• Heat the oil in a deep pan over a high heat while you prepare the vegetables. Trim the ends of the broccoli and slice away the top ends of the baby carrots. Remove the very top and bottom of the radishes. Brush the mushrooms to ensure they are dirt free. • Now make the batter. In a wide bowl, mix together the flour, cornflour, and baking powder, before whisking in the ice-cold sparkling water. • Whisk gently until just smooth. Dip in the vegetables and ensure they are evenly coated in batter, shaking off any excess. Using a slotted spoon, carefully add half the vegetables to the hot oil. Cook for 2-3

minutes. Try not to overfill the pan with the vegetables, as they will stick together. • When the batter has puffed up, carefully remove the tempura from the pan and drain on kitchen paper, then add the rest of the vegetables to the pan, again cooking for 2-3 minutes. • In the meantime, make the dipping sauce (if you haven’t already). Pour the passata, soy sauce, maple syrup, chilli flakes and coriander into a bowl. Cut the lime in half and squeeze in the juice through a sieve to stop any pips going in. Whisk until combined. • Serve the tempura immediately with individual bowls of dipping sauce.