Momiji Tempura #FoodieExtravaganza #MapleSyrupMadness

Welcome to the Foodie Extravaganza! 
v. December 2016 = Maple Syrup Madness

Foodie Extravaganza is where we celebrate obscure food holidays or cook and bake together with the same ingredient or theme each month. This month we're celebrating maple syrup because December 17th is National Maple Syrup Day.

Thanks to Lauren of Sew You Think You Can Cook for hosting this event. She encouraged us: "December 17th is National Maple Syrup Day. Let's celebrate with more than pancakes! Bake some liquid amber into something sweet, cook it up into something savory, or stir it into a fun beverage."

Posting day is always the first Wednesday of each month. If you are a blogger and would like to join our group and blog along with us, come join our Facebook page Foodie Extravaganza.  We would love to have you! If you're a spectator looking for delicious tid-bits check out our Foodie Extravaganza Pinterest Board! Looking for our previous parties? Check them out HERE.

Maple Syrup Madness
December 17th is National Maple Syrup Day and Lauren challenged us to bake with, cook with, or make a beverage with maple syrup. (For some international bloggers who can't find maple syrup, they'll be joining the fun with honey as a substitute.) And don't forget to check out all these other maple-y recipes:

• Basbousa - Egyptian Semolina Cake from Sneha of Sneha's Recipe
• Bangin' Breakfast Potatoes from Rebekah of Making Miracles
• Gluten-Free Maple Chestnut Cookies from Caroline of Caroline's Cooking
• Maple Pecan Bars from Nichole of Cookaholic Wife
• Maple Sugar Cookies from Sue of Palatable Pastime
• Maple Walnut Vinaigrette from Tara of Tara's Multicultural Table
• Momiji Tempura from Camilla of Culinary Adventures with Camilla
• Overnight French Toast Casserole from Elaine of Cookin and Craftin
• Roasted Maple Glazed Carrots from Wendy of A Day in the Life of the Farm
• Rosemary Maple Glazed Turkey Breast from Lauren of Sew You Think You Can Cook
• The Back Forty Cocktail from Stacy of Food Lust People Love

Momiji Tempura

I have made this dish once before when I substituted the maple syrup, listed, for a locally-made ginger syrup. This time, I used the ingredient suggested in the original recipe and am sharing it for this #FoodieExtravaganza event. Here's the story behind this dish...

I was at one of my best friend's house for brunch, I noticed a Japanese maple tree near her front door. I snapped a photo and asked if I could have some of the leaves. I'm not sure she knew I was going to cook them, but a few days later she dropped the leaves off, rinsed and stored between moist paper towels.

Ingredients serves 4 as an appetizer

• 1 C rice flour
• 1 T organic corn starch
• 1-1/2 C sparkling water
• 16 to 20 fresh red Japanese maple leaves
• maple syrup
• canola oil for frying
• furikake

Procedure

Clean maple leaves thoroughly with a moist towel. In a small mixing bowl, whisk together the rice flour, corn starch, and sparkling water to create an airy batter. Do not overmix; the batter will be slightly lumpy.

Preheat oil in a pan. The oil has reached the correct temperature when a small drop of batter sizzles and floats.

Pour maple syrup in a shallow dish. Use a pastry brush to paint a thin layer of syrup on each leaf. Or you can simply dip the leaves in the syrup.

Lightly dip leaves in batter and fry immediately until golden brown.

Drain on a rack or on paper towels. Sprinkle with furikake while hot. Serve immediately.