Ingredients

Method

• 250 g rice flour, plus extra for dusting
• 60 g flour
• salt, to taste
• 5 T black sesame seeds
• 2 1⁄2 cups soda or sparkling water (more if necessary)
• 1 head cauliflower, broken into florets
• 230 g Tenderstem broccoli
• oil, for deep-frying
For the lemon-lime mayo, mix:
• 1 cup good-quality mayonnaise
• 1 lemon, zested and juiced
• 1 lime, zested and juiced
• 4 T chives, finely chopped, to garnish
• black sesame seeds, to garnish

Method

Ingredients

1. Place the rice flour, flour, salt and sesame seeds in a bowl. Gradually add the soda water while whisking to make a batter the thickness of pancake batter. Place in the fridge and preheat the oil.

2. Dust the vegetables in rice flour to help the batter stick to them. Using chopsticks or tongs, dip the vegetables into the batter, a few at a time, then carefully place in the oil and fry until the batter is crisp. Remove from the oil and drain on kitchen paper while frying the remaining vegetables. Serve with the mayonnaise.

Cook's note: Seafood and citrus are an iconic pair, so you could swap the veggies in this recipe for shelled prawns.

Find more vegetarian recipes here. 

Photograph: Jan Ras 
Production: Abigail Donnelly and Clement Pedro
Food assistant: Thalia Pillay