Savoury side dish: homemade zucchini strips

Zucchini strips are great as an appetizer for company, the perfect finger food offering to serve up when people come over to watch the big game! Just follow this recipe to fry up a guaranteed hit.

Because it cooks quickly, zucchini is an ideal choice for batter frying. It's surprisingly easy to make this delicious bar staple from the comfort of your own kitchen.  You can experiment other quick-cooking veggies, such as mushrooms, or ones that taste best when al dente, such as string beans or strips of red or green peppers.

Makes four servings

• 2 L (8 c) vegetable oil or shortening for deep-fat frying
• 250 ml (1 c) all-purpose flour
• 125 m (1/2 c) cold water or stale beer
• 500 g (1 lb) firm, bright green zucchini, cut into 5 cm x 6 mm x 6 mm (2 x 1/4 x 1/4 in) strips
• Balsamic vinegar1. Pour the oil or melt the shortening in a deep-fat fryer or large, heavy pot to a depth of eight centimetres (three inches). Insert a deep-fat thermometer and heat the oil to 190°C (375°F).

  2. Meanwhile, in a medium bowl, combine 125 millilitres (1/2 cup) of the flour and the water or beer. Whisk until the mixture is smooth and well blended. Pour the remaining 125 millilitres (1/2 cup) of flour into a shallow dish. Working in small batches, dredge the zucchini strips in the flour, shaking off any excess, then toss the coated strips in the batter, separating any that cling together.

  3. Place the zucchini strips in the fryer in small batches to avoid affecting the temperature of the oil; fry until brown and crisp, about five minutes per batch. Using a slotted spoon or fryer basket, transfer the strips to paper towels to drain. Allow the oil in the fryer to reheat to the correct temperature before frying the next batch.

  4. Lightly drizzle the zucchini strips with the balsamic vinegar before serving.

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