Stuffed Vegan Zucchini Flowers with Truffle Oil

While fasting as a vegan for Easter I hit a slump in cooking and an increase in the weight situation. Carb overload! I thought I needed to brighten things up a bit. I love stuffed zucchini flowers but I've never made them before. I didn't think one could replicate the cheeseyness of a stuffed zucchini flower with ricotta and other white cheeses. But you sure can! These vegans know what they're doing. Of course good ol' tofu comes through to save the day. Okay anything fried with truffle oil is bound to taste good, yeah? Yes! Can't wait to make these babies again. Rarely ever fry anything but this is one special exception.  

As you may tell, I used baby zucchini flowers. If you are looking for a cheap place to buy them in Sydney, there is a fruit store on the corner of Marion and Foster Street in Leichhardt that sell a pack of 16 for $3. Bargain!

Adapted Recipe from Yoli's Green Living/Delicious TV

Ingredients 

16 baby zucchini flowers or about 10 normal sized zucchini flowers

Truffle oil to serve

Stuffing

1/4 cup onion, chopped

2 tablespoons fresh basil, chopped (I used parsley)

2 tablesppons nutritional yeast (I skipped this)

2 tablespoons powdered garlic (I used one fresh clove, crushed)

1 tablespoon of lemon

1 teaspoon salt

1/2 to 1 standard block of firm tofu (1/2 is plenty if you are using baby flowers)

Batter

3/4 sparkling water

3/4 cup flour

Oil for deep frying

Method

1. Carefully remove the stamen from the flowers.

2. Blend the tofu in a food processor. Add the other stuffing ingredients to the processed tofu.

3. Stuff each of the flowers with the mixture. Once it's been stuffed, twist the flower and hold it together. Place to rest on a plate. 

4. After the flowers have been stuffed, in a small bowl mix the batter ingredients together. 

5. Heat a fry pan with enough oil to deep fry the flowers. Once the oil is super hot, dip each flower into the butter and then into the fry pan. They should only take a few minutes to cook. Dry the flowers onto a plate covered in paper towels.  

6. To serve, plate up the flowers and drizzle with truffle oil.