Crispy Quinoa "Tempura," Two Ways

Ingredients

FOR FISH, SHRIMP, AND OTHER SEAFOOD:

13 cups (200 g) whole wheat flour

½ cup (90 g) uncooked red quinoa

1 tablespoon baking powder

2 tablespoons cornstarch

½ teaspoon kosher salt

1 cup (240 ml) sparkling water

FOR VEGETABLES:

13 cups (200 g) whole wheat flour

⅔ cup (100 g) rice flour

½ cup (90 g) uncooked red quinoa

2 tablespoons cornstarch

½ teaspoon kosher salt

1½ cups (360 ml) sparkling water

Flaky salt, lemon wedges,

Turmeric Mayo (page 315), and Tzatziki (page 318), for serving

Directions

In a large bowl, whisk together the whole wheat flour (for the seafood version) or whole wheat and rice flour (for the vegetable version), quinoa, baking powder, cornstarch, and kosher salt to blend thoroughly.

Whisk in enough sparkling water to make a thin batter; you may not need the full amount of water, drip off. Carefully lower into the or you may need a few drops more. You want the consistency to be like thin pancake batter; you may need to fry a couple of tests to get it exactly right.

TO USE: Cut your ingredients into even pieces, so they will all cook at about the same rate. Cut dense vegetables thin, so they will cook fully before the batter burns. You may need to cook a few tests in order to get the optimal sizing and timing.

Line a plate or tray with a double layer of paper towels. Fill a medium or large saucepan or deep skillet with about 2 inches (5 cm) of vegetable oil and heat to 365°F (185°C).

Dip your ingredient in the batter and hold it over the bowl for a few seconds so the excess can not need the full amount of water, drip off. Carefully lower into the hot oil and fry until the ingredient is fully cooked and the batter is crisp and deep golden brown; the timing will depend on the density of the ingredient. If the batter is browning deeply before the item is cooked, lower the oil temperature and try again.

Drain on paper towels, sprinkle with flaky salt, and serve right away, while crisp and hot, with lemon wedges and sauces on the side.

Notes

Here I give traditional batter even more crunch by adding uncooked quinoa, which pops during frying. I found that different ingredients ask for different batters: The one designed for fish has leavening, making it light and puffy, resulting in a fish-and-chips type of coating. The vegetable-specific batter is closer to a Japanese tempura batter, with rice flour along with whole wheat flour creating an exceptionally light crust. I like to use sparkling water in both of these for extra lightness, but plain tap water will give you perfectly fine results. Make these batters right before you're ready to fry; they don't hold well. -Makes enough to coat about 1 pound (450 g) of seafood or vegetables