Fried Pickled Vegetables with Kimchee Aioli Recipe

Ingredients:

• 1 pint canned pickled vegetables (e.g. asparagus, carrots, green beans)
• 1 cup rice flour
• 1 Tbsp cumin
• 1 Tbsp garlic powder
• 1 Tbsp onion salt
• Up to 1 tsp cayenne pepper
• 2 bsp high-heat oil
• 1 cup mayonnaise
• 2 Tbsp kimchee, plus more for serving
• Juice of one lemon
• 2 tsp salt

Directions:

1. Drain brine from pickled vegetables. Lay them in a single layer on a paper towel to dry. Lightly sprinkle pickles with salt and let sit for 10 minutes. The salt will bring out the moisture and lock in flavor.
2. Whisk together rice flour, cumin, garlic powder, onion salt, and cayenne pepper. Dredge pickles in rice flour mixture, pressing each vegetable into mixture to ensure good coverage. Place in a single layer on a plate. Refrigerate breaded vegetables for ten minutes so the breading can fully adhere to the vegetables.
3. Cover the bottom of a shallow sauté pan with oil and heat until shimmery (350°F). Fry vegetables in hot oil for one minute per side or until breading is golden. Place on cooling rack set over a paper-towel-lined baking sheet.
4. To make aioli: In a blender, combine mayo, 2 Tbsp kimchee, lemon juice, and salt. Blend and adjust to taste. Serve alongside fried pickled vegetables and a little extra kimchee.