Recipe: Shrimp & Corn Fritters with Sriracha Aioli
These barbecue corn fritters might be the best corn fritters you’ve ever tried. Part of our Christmas Barbecue Menu.
Recipe: by Anthony Hoy Fong Photos: Liz Clarkson, Styling: Catherine Milford
Serves: 6 (makes 20 fritters)
ready in: 50 minutes
INGREDIENTS
Corn fritters:
2 corn cobs, husks and silks removed
¾ cup flour
¼ cup fine corn meal
¼ tsp baking powder
½ tsp sea salt
¼ tsp cayenne pepper
½ cup buttermilk
1 egg
350g prawns, peeled and deveined, roughly chopped
¼ cup finely diced red capsicum
¼ cup diced spring onions
1L canola oil (for frying)
2 Tbsp chopped coriander, to garnish
Sriracha aioli:
1 Tbsp Asian red chilli paste (or other Asian hot sauce such as sambal)
1 tsp light brown sugar
1 tsp seasoned rice wine vinegar
1 garlic clove, minced
¾ cup mayonnaise
1 tsp lime juice
1 Tbsp chopped coriander
METHOD
Heat the barbecue to high, then place the whole corn cobs directly on the grill and cook for 2-3 minutes each side until charred evenly all over. Remove from the barbecue and when cool enough to handle, stand upright on a cutting board and, using a sharp knife, cut down the sides to remove the kernels. (Alternatively, you might like to turn a small bowl upside down inside a large mixing bowl and stand the corn cobs on top to catch the kernels as you slice them off.) Set aside the kernels to cool.
To make the aioli, combine the chilli paste, brown sugar, rice wine vinegar and garlic in a small mixing bowl, stirring to a paste. Add the mayonnaise, lime juice and chopped coriander, stir together, then refrigerate.
In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, cornmeal, baking powder, salt and cayenne pepper. Make a well in the centre of dry ingredients, then add the buttermilk and crack the egg into it. Mix the wet ingredients together, then slowly incorporate into the dry ingredients to make a smooth batter. Fold in the prawns, corn kernels, capsicum and spring onions.
Place a large, high-sided non-stick sauté pan on a medium to high heat. Pour 2-3cm of oil into the pan, leaving enough room to ensure the oil doesn’t bubble over or come up too high, then bring to 180°C.
Use two tablespoons to make a quenelle (a small rugby ball shape) of batter and drop it into the oil. Repeat to cook about 5 fritters at a time – don’t overcrowd the pan. Fry for 3-4 minutes until golden brown, then flip over for 2-3 minutes to brown the other side. Remove the fritters from the oil using a slotted spoon and drain on paper towels. Repeat with the remaining batter.
Serve fritters garnished with chopped coriander and sriracha aioli on the side.
