Peixinhas Da Horta Recipe

Prep

Wash and thoroughly dry the green beans and asparagus. Trim both ends: snap or trim green bean stems; remove woody ends of asparagus. Pat completely dry with paper towels — excess moisture will make the batter spit and the crust less crisp.

Make aioli

In a small bowl, combine mayonnaise, piri-piri sauce, grated garlic, lemon juice, olive oil, smoked paprika, salt, and black pepper. Whisk until smooth. Taste and adjust heat or salt (add extra piri-piri sauce for more spice). Refrigerate while you make the tempura so flavors meld (at least 15 minutes).

Prepare batter

Place flour and cornstarch in a medium bowl and whisk to combine. If using egg, lightly beat it in a separate cup. Keep sparkling water very cold (store it in the fridge or add ice cubes to the measuring cup and remove before mixing). Pour the cold sparkling water into the flour mixture and stir very briefly with chopsticks or a fork — batter should be lumpy and slightly thin, not smooth. If using egg, mix it into the water before combining. Add the salt and white pepper and fold once or twice; do not overmix or the batter will lose its aeration and become dense.

Temperature note

Keep the batter bowl sitting over a bowl of ice to keep it cold while you fry (optional). Cold batter + hot oil = the lightest, crispiest tempura crust.

Heat oil in a deep saucepan or a deep-fat fryer to 180°C (350°F). If you don't have a thermometer, test by dropping a small spoonful of batter — it should immediately sizzle and rise to the surface in 20–30 seconds and become pale golden.

Working in small batches (do not overcrowd), hold a few green beans and/or 2–3 asparagus spears together and dip into the tempura batter to coat lightly, letting excess drip back into the bowl. Immediately lower into the hot oil. Fry for 1.5–2.5 minutes, turning once, until the batter is puffed and pale golden. Thin vegetables will cook quickly — asparagus tips may need slightly less time.

Use a slotted spoon or spider to remove the fried vegetables and transfer to a wire rack set over a baking sheet or to paper towels to drain. While still warm, sprinkle with flaky sea salt. Keep fried pieces warm in a low oven (100°C / 210°F) on the rack while you finish remaining batches, and refresh oil temperature between batches if needed.

When all batches are done, arrange tempura-fried green beans and asparagus on a serving platter with lemon wedges (optional). Serve immediately with piri-piri aioli on the side for dipping.