-
1
Grate & Squeeze the Squash
10 Mins
Room temperature, about 20°C (68°F) — no heat applied
Peel the butternut squash, scoop out the seeds and grate it on the coarse side of a box grater. Take handfuls and squeeze them hard in a clean cloth or tea towel until no more water drips out. Peel and devein the shrimp, chop most of them into small pieces and set aside 12 small whole shrimp for the tops of the fritters.
Grate the squash straight onto the cloth so you can gather it up and wring it out in one move.
Done when: The squash feels damp, not wet — a squeezed handful holds its shape and no water drips.
-
2
Mix the Batter
10 Mins
Room temperature, about 20°C (68°F) — no heat applied
Whisk the flour, cornstarch and baking powder in a large bowl. Beat in the egg and cold water a little at a time until you have a thick batter that falls slowly from the spoon. Fold in the squeezed squash, chopped shrimp, onion, spring onions, garlic, parsley, Creole seasoning, cayenne, salt and pepper until everything is evenly coated. Rest the batter for 5 minutes so the flour hydrates.
The batter should coat the squash rather than drown it — if it looks runny, whisk in a spoonful more flour.
Done when: A spoonful of batter holds its shape on the spoon and the squash strands are evenly coated.
-
3
Make the Dipping Sauce
5 Mins
Room temperature, about 20°C (68°F) — no heat applied
Stir the rice vinegar, soy sauce, minced garlic, sliced red chilli and sugar together in a small bowl until the sugar dissolves. Taste it: it should be sharp first, salty second, with just a whisper of sweetness. Set aside while you fry.
Make the dip first so it is ready the moment the fritters leave the oil — they wait for no one.
Done when: The sugar has fully dissolved and the dip tastes sharp and bright.
-
4
Heat the Oil
5 Mins
Medium-high heat, oil at 175°C (350°F)
Pour the vegetable oil into a deep, heavy pot so it is at least 5 cm deep and heat it over medium-high heat to 175°C (350°F). Test with a drop of batter: it should sizzle at once and rise to the surface in a few seconds. Line a tray with paper towels.
If you have no thermometer, a wooden chopstick dipped in the oil should bubble steadily around its tip at the right heat.
Done when: The oil shimmers and a test drop of batter sizzles and rises immediately.
-
5
Fry Until Deep Golden
10 Mins
Oil at 175°C (350°F)
Drop heaped tablespoons of batter into the oil, 4 at a time, and press one whole shrimp onto the top of each fritter. Fry for about 2 minutes, flip once with tongs and fry 1 to 2 minutes more until deep golden and crisp at the edges. Lift out with a slotted spoon and drain on paper towels. Repeat with the remaining batter — 12 fritters in all — letting the oil come back to 175°C (350°F) between batches. The shrimp inside must reach at least 63°C (145°F).
Do not crowd the pot — too many fritters at once drops the oil temperature and they come out greasy instead of crisp.
Done when: Deep golden brown all over with lacy, crisp edges; the shrimp on top is pink and curled.
-
6
Drain & Serve Hot
5 Mins
Serve hot, above 63°C (145°F)
Drain the fritters on paper towels for a minute, then pile them on a platter lined with a banana leaf if you have one. Serve at once with the vinegar-soy dip and lime wedges, while the crust is still crackling.
Fritters lose their crunch fast, so call everyone to the table before the last batch leaves the oil.
Done when: Crisp to the bite, steaming inside, and the dip is on the table before the first fritter cools.
auto_awesome Finishing Touches & Plating
Serve the fritters piled high on a banana leaf with the vinegar-soy dip and lime wedges, while they are still crackling hot from the oil.
Palau
55m
Spain
Vietnam