Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
300 g firm tofu, thickly sliced
2 cups canola oil
Microleaves, for serving
For the Asian carrot juice dipping sauce:
1⁄2 cup Woolworths cold-pressed 100% carrot, apple and orange fruit-and-vegetable juice
2 - 3 t fresh ginger, grated
garlic clove, sliced
1 T rice wine vinegar
2 T soya sauce
Method
Preheat the oven to 180°C. Roast the carrots in the olive oil for 30 minutes, or until caramelised. Prepare the tempura flour according to package instructions, adding the chilli flakes, sesame seeds and a pinch of sea salt.
Dip the tofu in the batter to coat, then deep-fry in the canola oil for 2–3 minutes, or until golden. Remove and drain on kitchen paper.
To make the dipping sauce, combine the carrot juice, ginger, garlic, rice wine vinegar and soya sauce, adjusting the ingredients to taste. Serve with the crispy tofu and caramelised carrots, topped with microleaves.
Cook's note: Keep bottles of fresh juice in the fridge for cooking – it’s a great way to taste the seasons in your food. And you don’t even need a juicer!