cumin dusted carrot tempura with coriander and lemon aioli – The Circus Gardener’s Kitchen

Ingredients

300 g carrots, peeled or scrubbed and cut into thin julienne strips
1 tsp ground cumin
groundnut or sunflower oil, for deep frying

for the tempura batter
60 g cornflour
60 g rice flour
pinch baking powder
pinch sea salt
150 ml sparkling water

for the aioli
80 g silken tofu
80 ml extra virgin olive oil
juice and zest of half a lemon
10 g fresh dill, finely chopped
1 spring onion, finely chopped
½ tsp Dijon mustard
½ tsp sea salt

Method

1. Place the carrot strips on kitchen paper to absorb excess moisture. For the aioli, place the tofu, lemon juice, mustard and sea salt into a food processor and blend until smooth. Keep the processor running on a slow speed and very slowly add the olive oil in a steady stream until it forms a thick sauce. Tip the aioli into a bowl. Add the lemon zest, chopped spring onion and chopped coriander and mix to combine. Set to one side.

2. Next, make the tempura batter by whisking together the cornflour, rice flour, baking powder, salt and sparkling water until you have a thin batter.

3. Pour groundnut or sunflower oil into a wok or deep-sided pan to a depth of 5cm. Place over a high heat. Dredge the carrot strips through the tempura batter, ensuring they are completely coated. As soon as the oil is hot, carefully drop the battered carrot sticks into the oil and cook for 2-3 minutes, turning to cook on all sides, until the batter is a light golden colour and crisp. You will need to do this in batches to avoid crowding the pan, which would cause the oil temperature to drop too suddenly. Remove the cooked tempura from the oil with a slotted spoon and drain briefly on kitchen paper. Place in a bowl, add the ground cumin and toss lightly to distribute the cumin evenly. Serve while still hot, accompanied by the lemon and dill aioli.

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