How do you estimate calories in fried vegetables?

[Alex K Chen]

As a rough approximation, does the amount of oil used in the frying usually double the calorie count, or triple it?

 

Ideally I'd go even without fried vegetables, but that makes life (on top of an already-vegan diet) really difficult when I'm eating out, so I can compromise with fried.

[Todd Allen]

Oil typically has about 120 kCal per tablespoon.  Try to guesstimate the amount and add it to your guesstimates for the other ingredients.  I try to avoid eating out as much as possible but when I do my main concern is the healthiness of the choices versus consideration for calorie counting.   

[drcha]

The calories are ridiculous.  I had some tempura the other day, made by an excellent Japanese restaurant: light, fresh, and nongreasy.  However, just a few slices of yam, green beans, carrot, eggplant, zucchini, and a couple of small shrimp was over 700 calories, even though there were probably barely 100 calories in the non-oil ingredients of the meal.  I realize there are a few calories in the wheat or rice flour that they use to make the tempura dip, but I'm sure most of the calories are oil, even though you can't really taste the oil.

 

By comparison, I can make myself enough vegetables for the entire day (3 cups or so) and add a very nice flavor with just 1 tablespoon of sesame oil (130 calories).  Throw in an ounce of nuts and you are up to 300 calories (plus whatever is in the vegetables) and have a meal fit for a queen.

 

I love the tempura but have to relegate it to my "twice a year" category.