Kalonji (nigella) seeds are available where Indian and Lebanese ingredients are sold.
ingredients
serves 8
1 1/3 cups besan flour
1/2 cup rice flour
1 teaspoon ground turmeric
1 teaspoon chilli powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon kalonji (nigella) seeds
1 cup water
2 potatoes
1/2 pound pumpkin
1/2 pound eggplant
2 small onions
15 baby English spinach leaves
oil, for deep-frying
besan flour, for dusting
sweet chilli sauce, for serving
method
1. Sift the besan flour, rice flour, turmeric, chilli powder and 1/2 teaspoon salt into a large bowl and make a well in the centre. Gradually add 1 cup water, whisking to make a smooth, thick batter. Stir in the kalonji seeds, cover and leave for 10 minutes.
2. Cut the potatoes and pumpkin into batons about 3 inches long. Cut the eggplant into thin slices and each slice into quarters. Cut the onions into quarters and separate the sections into individual pieces, discarding the centre. Wash and pat dry the baby spinach leaves.
3. Check the consistency of the batter. It should be like cream so, if it is too thick, add a little extra water. Fill a heavy-based pan one third full of oil and heat to 180°C (350°F). Test the oil by cooking 1/4 teaspoon of batter. If it keeps its shape and sizzles while rising to the top, the oil is ready. Make sure the oil stays at the same temperature and does not get too hot. The tempura should cook through as well as brown.
4. Dip batches of the vegetables in the besan flour, shake well, then dip in the batter and fry until golden brown. The cooking time will vary for each type of vegetable.
5. Drain each batch on crumpled paper towel, sprinkle with salt and keep warm in a slow 150°C (300°F).
6. Serve immediately with sweet chilli sauce.
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