These hors d'oeuvres should be served warm, so fry a couple of batches at a time as platters need replenishing.

Ingredients
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 cup beer (8 oz; not dark)
1 to 1 1/2 qt vegetable oil
1 lb sugar snap peas, trimmed (we're growing Sugan Ann Snaps this year)

Special equipment: a deep-fat thermometer or an electric wok.
Accompaniment: Soy Dipping Sauce (recipe follows)

Directions
1. Whisk together flour and beer in a bowl until smooth.

2. Heat 2 inches oil in a 4-quart heavy pot over moderate heat until it registers 365°F on thermometer.

3. Working in batches of about 15, toss sugar snaps in batter until coated. Lift sugar snaps out of batter 1 at a time, letting excess batter drip off, and transfer to oil. Fry sugar snaps, turning with a slotted spoon, until golden, about 1 1/2 minutes. Transfer with slotted spoon to paper towels to drain. (Return oil to 365°F between batches.)

Serve sugar snaps warm.

Cooks' notes:
Peas can be trimmed 1 day ahead and chilled in a sealed plastic bag lined with dampened paper towels.

Batter can be made 2 hours ahead and chilled, covered. Whisk before using.

I use my electric wok to make these. It makes it easier to control and maintain the right temperature for frying.

Makes about 120 hors d'oeuvres.

Soy Dipping Sauce

1/2 cup soy sauce
1/4 cup water
3 Tbsp seasoned rice vinegar
2 t sugar
1/4 cup thinly sliced scallion

Stir together soy sauce, water, vinegar, and sugar until sugar is dissolved. Just before serving, stir in scallion.

Cook's note:
Dipping sauce (without scallion) can be made 3 days ahead and chilled, covered. Stir in scallion and bring to room temperature before serving.

Makes about 1 cup.

Gourmet Magazine
June 2003