Tempura saltbush and warrigal greens chimichurri

Indulge in this vibrant fusion of classical Japanese tempura paired with native Indigenous Australian ingredients. The lightly crisp saltbush perfectly complements the spicy and herbaceous warrigal chimichurri, creating a tantalising combination of flavours and textures.

• serves

  2

• prep

  10 minutes

• cook

  5 minutes

• difficulty

  Easy

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Luscious Leaves

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Ingredients

• 2-3 litres sunflower oil, for deep-frying
• 4 branches salt bush
• flaked salt, to season
• 1 lemon cheek, to serve

Tempura batter

• 2 cups glutinous rice flour (or Japanese tempura flour)
• 1½-2 cups vegetable stock, chilled

Warrigal greens chimichurri

• ½ cup coriander leaves
• ¼ cup parsley leaves
• 1½ tbsp oregano leaves
• 1 long red chilli
• 1 cup roughly chopped warrigal greens
• 2 tsp minced garlic
• ¼ cup red wine vinegar
• ½ cup olive oil

Instructions

1. To make the warrigal greens chimichurri, finely chop the herbs and chilli, then combine in a medium bowl with the remaining chimichurri ingredients. Mix well and set aside.
2. To make the tempura batter, add the rice (or tempura) flour to a large bowl, then pour over the cold vegetable stock. Whisk together with chopsticks to form a lumpy batter (see Note).
3. Heat enough sunflower oil in a heavy-based saucepan to deep fry at 180˚C. Submerge the saltbush into the tempura batter to cover all the leaves, then shake off excess oil and deep fry for 1 minute, or until golden. Transfer to a plate lined with paper towel and sprinkle with sea salt. Repeat with the remaining saltbush.
4. Serve the tempura saltbush with the lemon cheek and the warrigal greens chimichurri.

Note

• In accordance with tradition, tempura batter should be handled with minimal effort. Simply combine the liquid ingredients with the flour using chopsticks (or a fork!) and avoid using a balloon whisk. Embrace any remaining lumps as they contribute to the desired crispiness. Remember to keep the batter consistently cold and fresh for optimal results.

Photography by Jiwon Kim.

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Cook's Notes

Oven temperatures are for conventional; if using fan-forced (convection), reduce the temperature by 20˚C. | We use Australian tablespoons and cups: 1 teaspoon equals 5 ml; 1 tablespoon equals 20 ml; 1 cup equals 250 ml. | All herbs are fresh (unless specified) and cups are lightly packed. | All vegetables are medium size and peeled, unless specified. | All eggs are 55-60 g, unless specified.

Stream free On Demand

Luscious Leaves

Watch the full episode here

G

Watch the full episode here

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