Recipe: Vegetable tempura

Serve with Steenberg Lady R 2012.

Perfect for a Meat Free Monday.

Serves 4

Ingredients:
1/2 cup (125ml) corn flour
½ cup (125ml) rice flour
½ tsp (2.5ml) bicarbonate of soda
pinch of salt
½ cup (125ml) sparkling water, chilled
50g carrots, thinly shaven with a vegetable peeler
50g mange tout
50g baby corn, halved
1 onion, sliced thinly into rings
50g tat soi
50g courgettes, thinly sliced
oil for deep-frying
2 limes for serving

Method:
Place corn flour, rice flour, bicarbonate of soda and salt into a bowl and mix to combine. Add sparkling water and mix until a thin batter is achieved. You may need to add a little more water.

Coat vegetables in batter and deep-fry in hot oil for about 30 seconds or until batter is crisp, but not golden brown. Remove vegetables from oil using a slotted spoon and drain on kitchen paper.

Season with Maldon sea salt and serve immediately with wedges of fresh lime.

Wine pairing:
You need something with racy acidity to cut through the greasiness of the batter – try Méthode Cap Classique or unwooded Sauvignon Blanc.

• Recipe supplied by Source Food – a Cape Town-based food agency that specializes in experiential marketing. They will create a recipe or meal to communicate your brand’s message.