Zucchini Flowers from book 2

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Zucchini Flowers from book 2

Yield 4-6 (as a snack)

Author Lucy Tweed

Cook time

45 Min

Total time

45 Min

It may be from the Phat Snack chapter, but we had a hard time eating anything more

Ingredients

• 16 zucchini flowers (with the baby zucchinis attached if available)
• 4 cups (1 liter) rice bran or vegetable oil
• For the Stuffing:
• 230 g (8½ oz) fresh ricotta
• 1 garlic clove, smashed
• 1 teaspoon white miso paste
• 1 teaspoon finely grated fresh ginger
• 2 teaspoons mirin
• 2 teaspoons finely grated lemon zest
• ¼ cup (21 g) finely shredded nori
• For the Mayo:
• ½ cup (120 g) kewpie mayo
• 1 tablespoon wasabi
• 1 teaspoon lemon juice
• For the Batter:
• 1¾ cups (260 g) plain (all-purpose) flour
• 1½ cups (375 ml) soda water
• 1 teaspoon fine salt

OPTIONAL

• Shichimi togarashi (Japanese chili seasoning)

Instructions

1. In a bowl, combine the ricotta, smashed garlic, miso paste, grated ginger, mirin, lemon zest, and shredded nori. Stir until well mixed.
2. Gently peel open the flower petals and remove the stamens to create more room for the cheese filling. You can choose to leave them in if you prefer.
3. Spoon the prepared stuffing into the zucchini flowers, pressing it in with the back of the spoon. Alternatively, you can use a piping bag or a snaplock bag with the corner cut off for a neater stuffing process.
4. Twirl the ends of the zucchini flowers to close the filling securely. Place them on a baking tray lined with baking paper until you're ready to fry.
5. Prepare the wasabi mayo by adding the kewpie mayo, wasabi, and lemon juice to a bowl. You can mix it to your desired level of consistency, whether you prefer a well-mixed sauce or one with distinct flavor variations.
6. In another bowl, combine the plain flour, soda water, and salt to create the batter. Avoid overmixing; you want to retain some soda bubbles and a few flour pockets to keep the batter light.
7. Heat the rice bran or vegetable oil in a deep saucepan or wok over medium-high heat until it reaches 190°C (375°F).
8. Dunk a stuffed zucchini flower into the batter, then lower it into the hot oil. It should bubble and start turning golden within 2 minutes. Gently turn it using a slotted spoon and continue frying for an additional 2 minutes. Fry in batches and allow the oil to reheat between batches.
9. Once fried, place the stuffed zucchini flowers and baby zucchinis on a wire rack to drain excess oil before serving.
10. Optionally, sprinkle shichimi togarashi (Japanese chili seasoning) over the fried zucchini flowers for added flavor and heat.

Nutrition Facts

Calories

1620

Fat

165 g

Sat. Fat

28 g

Carbs

31 g

Fiber

1 g

Net carbs

30 g

Sugar

1 g

Protein

9 g

Sodium

607 mg

This information is a guide only, and can vary due to a number of factors including precision of measurements, brands, ingredient freshness, or the source of nutrition data.