Portuguese | Tempura Green Beans
Posted on March 16, 2018
Tempura is a classic Portuguese dish brought to and popularized by Japan. It's usually seafood or vegetables battered then deep fried. The Portuguese name for this dish is "Peixinhos da Horta" which translates to "Little Fishes of the Garden". When battering the green beans, hold the ends of two green beans at a time so that the finished product looks like a little fish. This dish is fun and easy to make.
Yield: 3 to 4 servings
Ingredients
10 ounces green beans, tips removed
1 teaspoon fine salt
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1/3 cup water
Portuguese paprika, to taste (optional)
1 egg, separated
1/2 teaspoon fine salt
freshly ground pepper, to taste
oil for deep-frying
Method
In a saucepan, cook the green beans in water with 1 teaspoon salt until tender-crisp, about 2 to 3 minutes (they will cook further once battered), Drain, pat dry with paper towels, and set aside to cool.
In a bowl, whisk the flour and water until a thick paste forms. Add the egg yolk, paprika, salt, and pepper and mix well. Set aside.
In a bowl, beat the egg white until stiff peaks form. Fold the egg white into the batter until just combined.
In a large dutch oven, heat oil to a depth of 1 inch over medium-high heat. Using your fingers, hold 2 green beans together and dip them into the batter, coating well. In batches, fry the green beans for about 1 to 2 minutes per side, until lightly golden. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the green beans to a plate lined in paper towels to drain. Repeat until the beans are all used up, adding more oil, if necessary. Serve warm.
(Ref. "Green Beans in Light Batter" recipe, Pimentos & Piri Piri, page 52.