Kimchi Tempura + Grilled Broccoli Recipe

Prepare kimchi

Drain the kimchi well in a sieve, pressing or lightly squeezing to remove excess liquid. Roughly chop into bite-sized pieces so they fry evenly. Pat dry further with paper towels if very wet.

Make batter

In a medium bowl, whisk together all-purpose flour, rice flour, cornstarch, baking powder, and salt. Keep the bowl chilled if possible. Add the cold sparkling water and briefly stir with chopsticks or a fork — do not overmix; a few lumps are fine. If batter warms, add an ice cube or two to keep it cold.

Heat oil

Pour vegetable oil into a deep saucepan or pot to a depth of about 2–3 inches. Heat to 350°F (175°C). If you don't have a thermometer, test by dropping a small bit of batter — it should sizzle and rise to the surface within a few seconds.

Fry kimchi

Working in small batches, toss the drained kimchi into the batter to coat, letting excess drip off. Carefully lower into hot oil and fry until crisp and golden, about 2–3 minutes per batch. Avoid overcrowding. Use a slotted spoon to transfer to a wire rack or paper towel-lined plate to drain. Lightly toss with 1 tsp neutral oil to keep crisp if desired.

Keep fried tempura warm in a low oven (200°F / 90°C) while finishing remaining components.

Marinate

In a bowl, whisk together olive oil, soy sauce, lime juice, minced garlic, salt, and pepper. Add broccoli florets and toss to coat. Let sit 5–10 minutes to absorb flavor.

Grill or pan-sear

Heat a grill pan or cast-iron skillet over medium-high heat until hot. Place broccoli florets cut-side down and grill 3–4 minutes without moving to get good char marks. Flip and cook an additional 2–3 minutes until tender-crisp and charred in spots. Alternatively, cook on an outdoor grill over medium-high heat.

Transfer to a platter and keep warm. Sprinkle a pinch of extra lime juice if desired before serving.

Combine salad ingredients

In a small bowl, gently fold together pomelo segments, sliced fermented kohlrabi, cilantro, and thinly sliced chili. Toss lightly so the pomelo segments remain intact.

Set aside and refrigerate briefly if you prefer it chilled. This will be plated with the tempura and broccoli.

Whisk dressing

In a small jar or bowl, combine red curry paste, rice vinegar, lime juice, honey, fish sauce, and salt. Whisk or shake to combine. Slowly stream in the neutral oil while whisking to emulsify. Taste and adjust balance — add more honey for sweetness, lime for brightness, or a pinch more salt.

Reserve about half the vinaigrette to dress the pomelo/kohlrabi salad and the remainder to lightly drizzle over broccoli and tempura as desired.

Blend leche de tigre

In a small bowl or blender, combine coconut milk, lime juice, grated ginger, minced garlic, fish sauce, salt, and 1 tablespoon water. Whisk or briefly blend until smooth and slightly frothy. Taste and adjust acidity or salt. Chill until ready to serve.

This sauce is used as a bright, cooling drizzle for the plate — not as a heavy dip.

Prepare puffed wild rice

If using store-bought puffed wild rice, have it at room temperature. If puffing at home: heat a dry skillet over high heat. Add a small spoonful of wild rice kernels; they will pop quickly. Work in very small batches to avoid burning. Remove popped rice and cool on parchment. (This step is optional if you have ready-puffed rice.)

Mix puffed wild rice with toasted sesame seeds and sliced scallions. Keep crisp until plating.

Serves 2–3 as a shared appetizer or 1–2 as a small main. On each plate, arrange a bed of grilled broccoli, place several pieces of kimchi tempura on or beside the broccoli, and spoon a small pile of pomelo & fermented kohlrabi salad alongside.

Drizzle red curry vinaigrette lightly over the pomelo salad and a small amount over the broccoli. Spoon a thin stream of coconut leche de tigre around the plate or lightly over the tempura (use sparingly so tempura stays crisp).

Scatter puffed wild rice mixture over the dish for crunch, and finish with a sprinkle of scallions and an extra tiny pinch of sesame seeds. Serve immediately so tempura remains crisp.