Spicy Tempura Sweet Potatoes

By Christina Pirello · On Feb 01, 2012

Nothing quite like deep frying to get people to eat their veggies, right? In this recipe, a light crisp batter combines nicely with the natural sweet flavor of the sweet potatoes. Served with a tart dipping sauce, this is food heaven…and loaded with carotenoids for health, but no one needs to know. Contributed by Christina Pirello, from I’m Mad as Hell and I’m Not Going to Eat it Any More (Perigee Books, 2011).

Serves 5 to 6

2 sweet potatoes, thinly sliced on the diagonal, do not peel

Batter:

1 cup whole wheat pastry flour
½ cup semolina flour
Sea salt
Generous pinch chili powder
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 tablespoon kuzu,
dissolved in 3 tablespoons spring or filtered water
Sparkling water

Dipping sauce:

Soy sauce
Fresh lime juice
Avocado oil for frying

Slice the sweet potatoes and cook them in boiling water for 3 minutes. Transfer to a kitchen towel and dry them completely.

Make the batter by combining flours, salt, spices and baking powder. Stir in dissolved kuzu and enough sparkling water to create a thin batter, as for pancakes. Set aside for 5 minutes.

Make the dipping sauce. Whisk together equal amounts of soy sauce and lime juice.

Heat 2 inches oil in a deep pot over medium heat. When the oil is hot, dip sweet potato slices in batter and fry until golden, about 2 minutes. Drain well and serve with dipping sauce on the side.

Note that you can keep the sweet potatoes that are fried in a warm oven so they stay crisp while you fry the balance of them.