Dandelions have been around for at least 30 million years and this dandelion blossom tempura recipe is just one of the many ways to use them.
Humans have relied on it for food & medicine since pre history & have used it ritually for making luck, divination & making wishes for just as long.
Despite it’s lowly status as a weed, Dandelions herald the end of winter & the arrival of Spring with their bright sunny blossoms & are a vital source of early pollen for bees.
They are an excellent source of vitamins A, K, E, D & C, plus calcium, potassium, copper, iron & manganese, magnesium & zinc. Without doubt, Dandelions are a nutritional power house, plus they support the liver & kidneys, aiding in the elimination of waste products from the body & helping those of us who suffer from chronic skin & joint problems, including acne, eczema, arthritis & rheumatism.
How could such an amazing plant have become so disregarded?
During this post we are going to make a delicious Dandelion blossom tempura with a spicy Dandelion dipping sauce. Dandelion blossoms smell & taste surprisingly sweet, considering how bitter the roots & leaves can be. Dunked in tempura batter & fried to a golden crisp, they are perfectly paired with spicy Dandelion leaf dipping sauce, for well, dipping!
For this recipe you will need to gather about 2 cupfuls of freshly picked Dandelion blossoms & 2 cupfuls of fresh leaves. The blossoms quickly wilt once picked, so nip out about an hour or so before the webinar kicks off.
TOP TIP: try to collect your blossoms & leaves from an area that is not frequented by dog walkers! When you pick your blossoms give them a good shake outside to remove any bugs & rinse gently in cold water when you get home. The same goes for the leaves. Gently pat dry. If you are confident that your blossoms are from a dog free environment, there’s no need to rinse, they are certainly better dry.
Ensure you have read the recipe through carefully before we start the session & have already prepared any equipment needed & chopped & prepared all of your ingredients.
Dandelion Blossom Tempura Recipe
This Dandelion blossom tempura recipe is an absolute quick win and tastes delicious – you’ll have people asking you to come and pick their dandelions to make this for them.
Ingredients
- 2 cups of blossoms
- 70g of cornflour
- 30g of plain flour
- A pinch of sea salt
- 90g of ice cold sparkling water.
Sunflower or rapeseed oil for frying, (do NOT use olive oil or coconut. Olive oil has a lower heating point than sunflower or rapeseed & will not achieve a high enough temperature. Coconut oil will prove to be incredibly expensive & your tempura will taste “fatty” as it cools.
Equipment
A large saucepan.
A sieve to drain your fried blossoms before serving
A large bowl to mix your batter & dunk your blossoms in to.
If you want to make a gluten free tempura, use the same quantity of rice flour instead.
You can spice up your batter with some chilli flakes if you wish or make them sweet by adding some nutmeg & cinnamon & just a touch of icing sugar.
Method
- Fill your saucepan no more than ¾ of the way up with the oil & switch on to heat. The oil needs to sizzle when you drop a small chunk of bread in to it.
- Mix your flours & salt & add the water, beating thoroughly with a hand whisk.
- Once your oil is sizzling hot, dunk the blossoms in to the batter & drop a few at a time, head first in to the oil.
- Fry for a few seconds until golden, flip & fry other side for a further few seconds. Remove with a slotted or mesh spoon & drain.
- Cook the remaining blossoms & serve immediately with the spicy dipping sauce.
For the Spicy Dandelion Leaf Dipping Sauce
Ingredients
- 2 cups of Dandelion leaves, washed thoroughly & roughly chopped
- 1 cup of hot water
- 1 cup of cider vinegar
- 1 of a cup of sugar
- A thumb sized piece of ginger, peeled & finely chopped
- 2 cloves of garlic peeled & finely chopped
- As many dried chilli flakes as you dare!
- ½ tsp of cracked black pepper
- Pinch of salt to taste.
Equipment
A saucepan to heat your ingredients in.
A sieve lined with a cloth to strain your plant material out.
A bowl to strain your heated liquid in to.
Chopping board
Sharp knife.
Method
- Place your roughly chopped Dandelion leaves, water & vinegar in a saucepan & heat until boiling. Simmer for 5 minutes.
- Strain out the Dandelion leaves, discard the plant material in to your compost & pour the strained liquid back in to your saucepan.
- Add the rest of your ingredients & heat gently until the sugar has completely melted. Simmer for another 5 minuets, then pour in to bottles or jars until ready to enjoy. Will keep in the fridge for about 3 to 6 months.
Recipe credit @thelittleforagerskitchen
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