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Shiitake, Tofu and Ginger Fritters

These tasty little fritters make a great canapé nibble but you can also serve 3-4 each as a starter alongside a crunchy tomato, cucumber and mint salad.
Photo from http://www.nzhouseandgarden.co.nz/

150g flour
70g instant polenta 
1 teaspoon baking powder
¼ teaspoon baking soda
1 tablespoon caster sugar
1½ teaspoons salt
A few grinds of black pepper
200ml thick Greek-style yoghurt
180ml buttermilk (or runny plain yoghurt)
1 egg plus 1 egg white
2 teaspoons sesame oil
3 cloves garlic, peeled and chopped
12 shiitake mushroom caps, sliced
½ bunch coriander, shredded, including stalks
1 thumb ginger, peeled and julienned
200g tofu, cut into 1cm dice
Vegetable oil for frying
Dipping sauce:
4 tablespoons soy sauce
1 tablespoon mirin (or honey)
1 tablespoon cider vinegar
½ red chilli, finely chopped
1 tablespoon chopped chives

Sift the first 7 ingredients together. In a large bowl whisk together yoghurt, buttermilk, egg and egg white, sesame oil and garlic. Stir in mushrooms, coriander, ginger and tofu then gently mix in dry ingredients. Leave mixture to sit for 30 minutes before cooking (or up to a day).

Heat about 5cm of oil in a pan or deep-fryer to 180°C. Take a dessertspoon of mixture and, using another spoon, gently push it off into the oil. Add more spoonfuls to the oil but don’t overcrowd the fryer as the heat will drop too much.

Cook fritters 2 minutes then gently flip over and cook until golden all over. Remove with a slotted spoon and place on paper towels in a 100°C oven to keep warm while you fry the rest. Serve fritters with a bowl of dipping sauce. Makes about 20

Dipping sauce: Combine soy, mirin, vinegar and chilli. Add chives just before serving.