Moving away from traditional American recipes, we took inspiration from Japanese cooking with this perfect fall snack. The softness of pumpkin coupled with salty fried batter, and the creaminess of the aioli, make for a delightful mouthfeel in our pumpkin tempura.

Serves 2–4

For the aïoli
Makes about 1 pint

1 cup basil leaves, packed tight
1–2 cloves of garlic, peeled and grated on a microplane
3 egg yolks
2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1 cup neutral oil (safflower, sunflower or avocado work well)

Finish reading the recipe for Tempura Pumpkin with Basil Aïoli on edible Boston | This recipe appeared as an online exclusive in November 2019 as part of a larger story on Pumpkins.