Tempura Mushrooms & Dipping Broth

One-ingredient tempura batter that's lectin free and delicious turns ordinary mushrooms into an appetizer for a fancy affair. Watch them disappear.

Lectin Free Gourmet tempura mushrooms have a light and crispy batter and a savory dipping broth that are both very easy to make. One-ingredient tempura batter and a few easy steps and you've got yourself a show-stopper platter worthy of serving guests. Learn how to make them.

I don't know about you, but whenever I get tempura vegetables I alwasy pick through in search of the mushrooms. They're simply the best. So why not make an all-mushroom tempura dish?

Let's talk about the importance of mushrooms in your diet. First off, they're rich in selenium, which helps regulate thyroid function. Second they are one of nature's immune supporters. Eat enough of them and you can ward off things like flu and other viruses that may cross your path. One immunology study by Alena G Guggenheim, ND, Kirsten M. Wright, BS, and Heather L Zwickey, PhD showed that mushrooms as a treatment for cancer is promising.

White mushrooms commonly found in grocery stores, and the variety I used in this recipe, are loaded with Vitamin D, Selenium, Phosphorus and Folate. The little fungi are low in calories and high in protein.

Now let's get to making this easy and delicious recipe!

The Recipe

LFG Tempura Mushrooms

8 oz Whole White Mushrooms

1/4 Cup Tapioca Flour

1/4 tsp Salt

LFG Tempura Batter

2 Pastured Eggs

1/4 tsp Cream of Tartar

Rice Bran Oil (for frying)

Japanese Dipping Broth

1 Cup Grassfed Beef Bone Broth

2 T Rice Vinegar

1 T Coconut Aminos

1 T Fresh Chives (chopped)

Step 1: Dredge Mushrooms

Wash and pat dry the mushrooms. Then put the flour and salt in a paper bag. Drop in the mushrooms and gently shake. You want the stems to stay intact.

Step 2: Make the Tempura Batter

In two deep bowls, separate the eggs. Whites in one bowl, yolks in the other. Add the cream of tartar to the whites. With an electric hand mixer, whip the white to stiff peaks. Next, whip the yolks to a frothy, lemony yellow. The yolks should double in volume. Next, scrape the yolks into the center of the whipped egg whites. Carefully fold the yolks into the whites by gently placing a rubber scraper into the center and down to the bottowm of the bowl, then pulling to the side of the bowl and up and out. Turn the bowl one-quarter turn and repeat cutting into the center, down to the bottom then pull up and out. Do this four times all the way around the bowl until you have successfully folded in the yolks and have a light and fluffy pale yellow batter.

Step 3: Dip and Fry Your Mushrooms

Use rice bran oil or pure olive oil for deep frying. They have a higher smoke point and are both on Dr. Gundry's YES list. I used a deep fryer dialed to 325 degrees F. But you could also use a small, deep saucepan. Be sure your oil is already hot for this next part. Dip your dredged mushrooms into the batter and drop them in the hot oil. While they fry on one side for 3 minutes, make the dipping sauce. Just pour the first broth, vinegar and coconut aminos into a saucepan on low. When the bottom side of the mushrooms are golden brown like the photo, flip them with a fork and fry the other side for 3 minutes. Place the fried tempura mushrooms on a paper towel to drain.

Plate over fresh greens and herbs. I picked mine from my garden. And serve with hot broth sprinkled with cut chives.

Is there's a barrel aged sake? Somebody please say yes! I paired these tempura mushrooms with a 12 year old Japanese whiskey and it was a perfect evening with friends.

ENJOY!