More About Okra Tempura with Lime "Fonzu" Dipping Sauce
Ingredients
Lime "Fonzu" Dipping Sauce
¼ cup soy sauce
¼ cup mirin
3 tablespoons fresh lime juice
4 teaspoons rice vinegar
1 tablespoon granulated sugar
1 teaspoon high-quality fish sauce (such as Red Boat)
¼ cup water, or more to taste
Okra Tempura
16 ounces fresh medium okra, stems trimmed but caps intact
1 cup (about 3 3/4 ounces) plus 1 Tablespoon cake flour, divided
4 cups peanut oil
1 cup cornstarch (about 4 1/2 ounces)
1 cup chilled club soda
½ cup (4 ounces) vodka, chilled
2 large egg yolks, lightly beaten
Kosher salt, for sprinkling
Lime wedges, for serving
Directions
Make the lime "fonzu" dipping sauce
Step 1
Stir together soy sauce, mirin, lime juice, vinegar, sugar, and fish sauce in a medium bowl until sugar is dissolved. Stir in 1/4 cup water or more to taste. Set aside.
Make the okra tempura
Step 2
Starting just below the cap, slice okra pods in half lengthwise. Rotate a quarter turn, and slice lengthwise again to cut okra into quarters, leaving cap attached. Place okra in a bowl, sprinkle with 1 tablespoon cake flour, and toss to lightly coat.
Step 3
Line a baking sheet with paper towels. Heat peanut oil in a wok over medium-high to 340°F. Adjust heat as necessary to maintain temperature.
Step 4
Whisk together cornstarch and remaining 1 cup cake flour in a small bowl. Combine club soda, vodka, and egg yolks in a large bowl; stir until just combined. Set on top of an ice bath. Add cornstarch mixture to club soda mixture all at once. Stir very briefly with chopsticks until barely combined. (There should be lumps of the flour mixture and a ring of flour around the edge of the batter.)
Step 5
Holding okra by the cap, dunk 5 or 6 okra in batter, swishing briefly so batter coats the sliced okra, and slide, 1 at a time, into hot oil. Cook in batches until batter is puffy, light golden, and crispy, 2 to 3 minutes. Transfer okra to prepared baking sheet, sprinkle with kosher salt. Serve okra immediately with "fonzu" dipping sauce and lime wedges.
Make Ahead
Dipping sauce can be made up to 3 days ahead and stored in an airtight container in refrigerator.
Lime "Fonzu" Dipping Sauce
¼ cup soy sauce
¼ cup mirin
3 tablespoons fresh lime juice
4 teaspoons rice vinegar
1 tablespoon granulated sugar
1 teaspoon high-quality fish sauce (such as Red Boat)
¼ cup water, or more to taste
Okra Tempura
16 ounces fresh medium okra, stems trimmed but caps intact
1 cup (about 3 3/4 ounces) plus 1 Tablespoon cake flour, divided
4 cups peanut oil
1 cup cornstarch (about 4 1/2 ounces)
1 cup chilled club soda
½ cup (4 ounces) vodka, chilled
2 large egg yolks, lightly beaten
Kosher salt, for sprinkling
Lime wedges, for serving
Directions
Make the lime "fonzu" dipping sauce
Step 1
Stir together soy sauce, mirin, lime juice, vinegar, sugar, and fish sauce in a medium bowl until sugar is dissolved. Stir in 1/4 cup water or more to taste. Set aside.
Make the okra tempura
Step 2
Starting just below the cap, slice okra pods in half lengthwise. Rotate a quarter turn, and slice lengthwise again to cut okra into quarters, leaving cap attached. Place okra in a bowl, sprinkle with 1 tablespoon cake flour, and toss to lightly coat.
Step 3
Line a baking sheet with paper towels. Heat peanut oil in a wok over medium-high to 340°F. Adjust heat as necessary to maintain temperature.
Step 4
Whisk together cornstarch and remaining 1 cup cake flour in a small bowl. Combine club soda, vodka, and egg yolks in a large bowl; stir until just combined. Set on top of an ice bath. Add cornstarch mixture to club soda mixture all at once. Stir very briefly with chopsticks until barely combined. (There should be lumps of the flour mixture and a ring of flour around the edge of the batter.)
Step 5
Holding okra by the cap, dunk 5 or 6 okra in batter, swishing briefly so batter coats the sliced okra, and slide, 1 at a time, into hot oil. Cook in batches until batter is puffy, light golden, and crispy, 2 to 3 minutes. Transfer okra to prepared baking sheet, sprinkle with kosher salt. Serve okra immediately with "fonzu" dipping sauce and lime wedges.
Make Ahead
Dipping sauce can be made up to 3 days ahead and stored in an airtight container in refrigerator.
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