Eggplant Tempura with Spicy Garlic Dipping Sauce
Eggplant tempura is perfectly crisp outside and tender inside, easy to make, and delicious with a quick homemade dipping sauce!
Servings 2 servings
Calories 164kcal
Ingredients
Eggplant Tempura:
- 6 tablespoons besan (also called chickpea flour or gram flour)
- 6 tablespoons water
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
- 1/4 teaspoon turmeric
- 1 pound purple baby eggplant washed and stems trimmed (or Thai eggplant, or Japanese eggplant sliced into 1/2-inch-thick slices)
- 2 ice cubes
- Oil for frying
Spicy Garlic Dipping Sauce:
- 1 tablespoon tamari sauce or soy sauce or coconut aminos
- 1 tablespoon water
- 1 teaspoon honey
- 1/2 teaspoon rice vinegar or apple cider vinegar
- 1/2 teaspoon hot sauce
- 1 small clove garlic grated
- 1/8 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes more or less to taste
Instructions
- For the tempura batter, whisk together the chickpea flour, water, salt, black pepper, and turmeric in a medium bowl. Add the eggplant and toss to coat. Add the ice to keep the batter cold and thin it out slightly as you heat up the oil.
- Add about 1 1/2 to 2 inches of oil to a medium saucepan with deep sides. Bring the oil temperature to 350F over medium-high heat.
- Add half of the eggplant, allowing the excess batter to drip off each piece before adding it to the oil. Cook until the eggplant is tender and the batter is golden brown, about 5 minutes. Transfer the cooked eggplant to a paper towel-lined plate to drain the excess oil, and cook the remaining eggplant the same way.
- For the sauce, whisk together all ingredients.
- Serve the eggplant hot, with the sauce on the side for dipping.
Notes
- Oil for Frying: Use an oil with a high smoke point, such as peanut oil or canola oil.
Nutrition
Calories: 164kcal | Carbohydrates: 31g | Protein: 8g | Fat: 2g | Saturated Fat: 0.3g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 0.4g | Sodium: 844mg | Potassium: 750mg | Fiber: 10g | Sugar: 14g | Vitamin A: 102IU | Vitamin C: 6mg | Calcium: 39mg | Iron: 2mg