Tempura vegetable fritters with pickled carrots

MAKES 6- 8 fritters

Leftover vegetables are transformed into scrumptiously crispy Japanese-style fritters.

1 cup plain flour

2 tbsp cornflour

1 egg yolk

¾ cup iced water

1 onion, thinly sliced

1 tbsp freshly grated ginger

2-3 cups leftover cooked veges – beans, peas, asparagus, sliced potato etc

½ tsp sea salt

Cooking oil, for shallow-frying

2 carrots, ribboned (use

a potato peeler)

1 tbsp vinegar

2 tsp black or white sesame

seeds, toasted

2 radishes, grated

Light soy sauce, for drizzling

1 Mix flour and cornflour together in a large bowl. In a cup, whisk the egg yolk with the iced water. Start adding the water/egg mix to the flour, mixing lightly with chopsticks as you pour, adding only enough liquid to make a batter the consistency of pouring cream. Don’t over-mix – lumps and a ring of flour around the bowl are signs of a good batter!

2 In a separate bowl, toss the onions and fresh ginger with the leftover vegetables. Season.

3 Heat enough oil for shallowfrying in a large pan. Using tongs, take ½ cup vegetable portions and dredge in the batter until well coated. Transfer to the hot oil – it should sizzle immediately. Pat each portion into a fritter shape and fry until golden and crisp. Flip and cook the second side.

Drain on paper towels.

4 Mix the carrots with the vinegar and scrunch together with your hands to wilt the carrots. Toss in the sesame seeds.

5 Serve the fritters topped with the carrots, a pinch of grated radish and a drizzle of soy sauce.