Equipment
Ingredients
Vegetables
- 200 g brussels sprouts, trimmed and halved
- 150 g green beans, ends trimmed
- 50 g scallions, cut into 5 centimeter segments
Batter
- 120 g all-purpose flour
- 60 g yellow cornmeal, fine or medium grind
- 5 g baking powder
- 2 g baking soda
- 5 g kosher salt
- 3 g garlic powder
- 2 g smoked paprika
- 240 ml buttermilk, cold
- 1 egg
Frying
- 1000 ml neutral oil
Nutrition (per serving)
Nutrition is estimated per serving. Nutrients without complete source data are omitted.
Full nutrition
- Calories
- 263 kcal
- Protein
- 11 g
- Carbohydrates
- 50 g
- Fat
- 3 g
- Fiber
- 5 g
- Sugar
- 6 g
- Sodium
- 888 mg
- Saturated Fat
- 1 g
- Trans Fat
- 0 g
- Monounsaturated Fat
- 1 g
- Polyunsaturated Fat
- 1 g
- Cholesterol
- 49 mg
- Potassium
- 512 mg
- Calcium
- 202 mg
- Iron
- 3.2 mg
- Magnesium
- 78 mg
- Phosphorus
- 268 mg
- Zinc
- 1.6 mg
- Vitamin A
- 82 mcg
- Vitamin C
- 50 mg
- Vitamin D
- 0.3 mcg
- Vitamin E
- 1.0 mg
- Vitamin K
- 131 mcg
- Vitamin B6
- 0.3 mg
- Vitamin B12
- 0.3 mcg
- Thiamin
- 0.17 mg
- Riboflavin
- 0.26 mg
- Niacin
- 1.2 mg
- Folate
- 68 mcg
- Water
- 155 g
Sources: Aggregated Public Data, USDA FoodData Central
Method
Prepare the vegetables by cutting the Brussels sprouts in half, trimming the ends off the green beans, and slicing the scallions into 5 centimeter lengths.
Pour the neutral oil into a heavy-bottomed pot or Dutch oven, ensuring it fills no more than halfway up the sides. Attach a deep-fry thermometer and heat the oil over medium-high heat until it reaches 180C or 350F.
In a mixing bowl, combine the all-purpose flour, yellow cornmeal, baking powder, baking soda, kosher salt, garlic powder, and smoked paprika. Stir well to distribute the leavening agents evenly.
In a separate mixing bowl, vigorously whisk together the cold buttermilk and the egg. Pour this wet mixture into the dry ingredients and whisk until a thick, lumpy batter forms. Do not overmix.
Working in small batches to avoid crowding the pot, dip the prepared vegetables into the batter. Lift each piece and allow the excess batter to drip back into the bowl before carefully lowering the coated vegetable into the hot oil.
Fry the vegetables, turning occasionally with a spider strainer, until the cornmeal crust is puffed, deeply golden brown, and highly crisp. Monitor the temperature to ensure it remains close to 180C or 350F.
Remove the fried vegetables using the spider strainer and transfer them to a wire rack set over a baking sheet to drain. Season immediately with an extra pinch of salt while hot, let rest briefly, and serve.
Chef's Notes
- Drying your vegetables thoroughly is the secret to getting the batter to stick. Water repels the flour-based coating.
- The combination of baking powder and baking soda reacts with the acidic buttermilk to create tiny air pockets in the batter, giving it a beautifully light and fluffy interior beneath the crunchy cornmeal exterior.
- Do not overmix your batter. Leaving it slightly lumpy prevents gluten development, which guarantees a tender coating rather than a tough, bready one.
- For the best eating experience, serve these with a high-contrast dipping sauce like a spicy remoulade, a cooling cucumber ranch, or a bright lemon-herb aioli.
Storage
Refrigerator: 3 days — Store in an airtight container lined with paper towels.
Reheating: Reheat in an oven or air fryer at 200 degrees Celsius for 5 to 7 minutes to restore crispness. Do not microwave.
Troubleshooting
Batter is greasy and not crispy
Cause: Frying oil temperature dropped too low when vegetables were added
Fix: Return to hotter oil for 30 seconds to crisp up, then drain well
Prevention: Fry in smaller batches and allow the oil to return to 180 degrees Celsius before adding the next batch
Batter falls off the vegetables
Cause: Vegetables were too wet before being dipped, or the batter was excessively thick
Fix: Cannot be fixed once fried
Prevention: Pat the vegetables completely dry with paper towels before dipping. If batter is too thick to cling, thin it with a splash of extra buttermilk
Cultural Context
Battering and frying vegetables is a time-honored technique found across the American South, where cornmeal is a staple grain. Using buttermilk and cornmeal echoes the traditional preparation of savory hushpuppies or fried green tomatoes, applying those rustic, hearty flavors to fresh spring produce.
