Fried Parsley With Vietnamese Dipping Sauce

By ltrodrigu

Ingredients

• For the Dipping Sauce:
• 1/2 cup freshly squeezed lime juice
• 1/4 cup sugar
• 3 tablespoons Vietnamese fish sauce
• 3 tablespoons unseasoned rice vinegar
• 1/4 cup finely minced flat-leaf parsley
• 4 garlic cloves, finely minced
• 11 tablespoon finely minced jalapeño
• For the Fried Parsley:
• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 2 tablespoons cornstarch
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 3 cups cold sparkling water
• 4 cups neutral oil, such as canola
• 36 large sprigs parsley
• Coarse salt

Details

Adapted from online.wsj.com

Preparation

Step 1

Make Dipping Sauce:
Whisk all ingredients together in a medium bowl until sugar dissolves. Let stand at least 30 minutes and up to 24 hours. (If made more than a few hours ahead, cover and refrigerate.)

Make Batter:
Whisk all dry ingredients together in a mixing bowl. Stir in 2½ cups sparkling water. Do not over-mix; batter should be slightly lumpy, with the consistency of heavy cream. If it's too thick, stir in more sparkling water, 1 tablespoon at a time, until batter reaches desired consistency.

Fry Parsley:
In a high-sided sauté pan or casserole, heat 1 inch oil to 375 degrees, using a deep-fry or candy thermometer to monitor temperature. Hold 1 parsley sprig by the stem and dip it into the batter. Lift parsley out of bowl, letting excess batter drip off, then drop parsley carefully and gently into hot oil. Using a wire skimmer or tongs to flip, fry parsley until lightly golden, about 1 minute per side. Remove parsley from oil and set aside to drain on a paper towel-lined plate. Repeat with remaining parsley, frying only as many sprigs as will fit in pan without touching and maintaining a steady temperature of 375 degrees throughout the frying process.

Transfer fried parsley to a serving platter, sprinkle with coarse salt and serve with a bowl of dipping sauce alongside. Parsley can be kept in a 175-degree oven for up to an hour before serving.