Battered and Fried Cabbage with Crispy Seeds and Lemon

Looking for an appetizer that’s out of the ordinary? Spicy, crunchy leaves of cabbage cooked tempura-style are fantastic with drinks and friends. Cooking them is a bit of a performance piece for your guests, however, because you need to eat these as soon as they’re out of the pan. Serve them with a simple squeeze of lemon, or for a more substantial preparation, serve with a bowl of Tonnato for dipping.

Great

% Daily Values based on a 2,000 calorie diet

Step 1

Cut away the dense cabbage core with a shar? ?aring ?ni?e and se?arate the leaves; it’s ?ine that they are all di??erent si?es, though you should tear any huge ones into smaller ?ieces. ?he cabbage leaves need to ?it into your ?rying ?ot.

Step 2

Arrange a double layer o? ?a?er towels on a tray or ba?ing sheet and set it near your stove. Pour 3 inches o? oil (vegetable oil or a mix o? olive and vegetable) into a sauce?an, ma?ing sure there are at least 3 inches o?

Step 3

headroom (because the oil may bubble u? a bit during coo?ing, and you don’t want any s?illovers—dangerous?). Slowly bring the oil u? to 3?5°F on a thermometer. (Or ?ry a small ?iece o? bread: When it ta?es 60 seconds to get nicely cris? and brown, but not burnt, your oil is ?ust about right.) As the oil is heating, whis? together the cornstarch and ?lour in a bowl.

Step 4

Whis? in enough s?ar?ling water to ma?e a thin batter. Whis? in the ?o??y seeds, ?ennel seeds, cumin seeds, coriander seeds, ¼ teas?oon chile ?la?es (or more, i? you li?e things s?icy), ½ teas?oon salt, and a bunch o? twists o?

Step 5

blac? ?e??er.

Step 6

When the oil is ready, di? a cabbage lea? into the batter, let the excess dri?

Step 7

o??, and then care?ully immerse it in the hot oil. I? there’s room in the ?an ?or more than one lea?, ?ry more than one at a time, but don’t overcrowd the ?an or the oil tem?erature may dro?, ma?ing the coating greasy rather than cris?.

Step 8

Fry until the coating is ?u??ed and very light golden (these will not get dee?ly colored). ?rans?er to the ?a?er towels to drain and continue ?rying the rest o? the cabbage.

Step 9

Once all the cabbage leaves are ?ried, turn o?? the heat under the oil and arrange the cabbage on a ?latter. Season with a bit more salt and a squee?e o?

Step 10

lemon and serve right away.