Mixed Vegetable Coconut Tempura, Sweet Maui Sauce

Coconut marinated sweet potato, broccoli, asparagus and onion dipped in fizzy tempura batter and coated in shredded coconut and panko. Served with a sweet and savory apricot-pineapple dipping sauce.

Mixed Vegetable Coconut Tempura
1 sweet potato, peeled, cut into 1/4" rounds
1-15oz can coconut milk
2 tbl freshly chopped cilantro
2 tbl lime juice
1 tsp sesame oil
1 bunch asparagus, ends trimmed
1 small sweet onion, 1/4" rounds
1 head broccoli, cut into florets
1 cup ap flour
1 1/4 cup cold club soda
1 1/2 cup panko breadcrumbs
1 cup unsweetened, untoasted shredded coconut
salt and pepper
peanut oil for frying

Combine the sweet potato with some salted water in a pot and bring to a boil. Boil for 5 minutes then drain and pat dry.
Combine the coconut milk, cilantro, lime juice and sesame oil. Add all the vegetables in this mixture and let sit for 1 hour.
Combine the flour, club soda, salt and pepper to taste and whisk until smooth and the consistency of pancake batter. Chill for 30 minutes.
Combine the breadcrumbs and coconut in a large bowl.
Preheat a large pot of oil to 350 degrees.
Dip the vegetables in the flour/club soda mix then coat in panko and fry until golden brown.
Dredge, coat and fry each vegetable separately, first all of the onions, then the sweet potato etc etc. After each batch is done, wait until the oil rises back up to 350 before starting the next batch.
Drain on a paper towel and sprinkle with sea salt right when they come out and garnish with cilantro.

Sweet Maui Sauce
2/3 cup apricot-pineapple preserves
1/4 cup whole grain-dijon mustard

Combine and serve.