Photo by Karen Keb
The Thai basil leaves give the batter just a hint of intrigue that’s pleasing, but mysteriously hard to identify.
Ingredients
- Vegetable oil for frying
- 2-1/2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
- 2 cups ice-cold seltzer water or club soda
- 1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 8 Thai basil leaves
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- 1 teaspoon salt, plus more for seasoning
- 3 cups broccoli florets, very lightly steamed
- 3 cups cauliflower florets, very lightly steamed
- 1 medium onion, sliced into rings
- 1 medium garnet yam, peeled and thinly sliced
Directions
- 1. Heat 5" of oil in a large pot to 350 degrees F or fill a deep-fryer according to manufacturer’s instructions.
- 2. Combine flour, seltzer, baking powder, basil, paprika, and salt in a blender and puree until smooth, 15 to 20 seconds (mixture will resemble thick pancake batter). Transfer to a bowl.
- 3. When the oil is hot, use tongs to dip each vegetable into the batter and place in the heated oil a few pieces at a time. Remove vegetables once they float to the surface and are a light golden brown, 2 to 3 minutes total.
- 4. Drain on paper towels, sprinkle with salt, and serve with sauce (favorites are peanut sauce or sweet chili sauce).
