Why It Works
- Hydrating the batter with puréed corn ends in fritters with most corn taste.
- Folding complete kernels into the batter creates fritters with juicy corn pockets that burst as you chunk into them.
In the event you like the flavour of basic Thai fish desserts, it is very possible that you’ll like these little corn fritters as properly. They’re additionally seasoned with curry paste and makrut lime leaves which have been sliced into superfine strips.
You will not get the bouncy, elastic texture of the basic fish desserts in these corn fritters. However what you get is the crispy edges, the marginally chewy inside, and the distinction of textures between puréed and complete corn kernels. Whereas this can be a meatless manner the lacto-ovo vegetarians amongst us can benefit from the taste of Thai fish desserts, it is also a scrumptious appetizer/snack for these of us who don’t abstain from meat.
Severe Eats / Fred Hardy
Using makrut lime leaves on this recipe might make a few of you set free a weary sigh. They’re laborious to seek out, I do know. I reside in massive metropolis with a large Asian neighborhood and plenty of nice Asian markets, however I nonetheless discover it laborious to get recent or frozen makrut lime leaves regularly. So should you can’t discover makrut lime leaves, use Thai basil leaves—candy basil, if that is all you could find—and these fritters shall be simply as nice, although barely completely different.
September 2012
Tod Man Khao Pod (Thai Corn Fritters)
Prepare dinner Mode
(Maintain display awake)
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4 ears of corn (2 kilos whole; 907 g) (see notes)
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1 tablespoon (15 ml) Thai crimson curry paste
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1 giant egg
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3/4 cup rice flour (about 3 1/2 ounces; 100 g)
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1 teaspoon baking powder
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1/2 tablespoon Diamond Crystal kosher salt; for desk salt use half as a lot by quantity
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3 makrut lime leaves or 1/4 cup Thai basil leaves
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1 quart vegetable oil for deep-frying
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Retailer-bought or do-it-yourself Thai candy chili sauce
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Take away corn kernels from cobs (it’s best to have about 2 1/2 cups kernels). Pour oil to a depth of 1 inch in a wok, small Dutch oven, or giant heavy-bottomed saucepan. Warmth oil over medium warmth to 300°F (149°C). Line a big platter or rimmed baking sheet with paper towels; put aside.
Severe Eats / Fred Hardy
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Reserve half of corn kernels and place different half in a blender or meals processor together with crimson curry paste, egg, rice flour, baking powder, and salt; mix till simply easy and batter is free, about 30 seconds. Switch combination to a medium bowl.
Severe Eats / Fred Hardy
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Stack makrut lime leaves (or basil leaves) and roll them up tightly. Slice the roll crosswise as finely as doable. Fold makrut lime leaf strips into corn batter together with reserved complete corn kernels.
Severe Eats / Fred Hardy
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Working in batches of about 6 at a time, drop 1 tablespoon dimension parts of corn batter very gently into oil. It helps to drop the batter nearer to the oil’s floor to maintain the fritter batter collectively. Don’t over-fill pot. As soon as the fritters float to the highest, proceed to fry, flipping often, till fritters are golden brown throughout and begin to darken across the edges, 3 to 4 minutes. Utilizing a slotted spoon, switch them to the paper towel-lined platter. Return oil temperature to 300°F (150°C) and repeat with remaining batches of fritters.
Severe Eats / Fred Hardy
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Permit final batch of fritters to chill barely earlier than serving them with Thai candy chili sauce.
Severe Eats / Fred Hardy
Particular Gear
Dutch oven or wok
Notes
Frozen corn kernels will also be used on this recipe. Be sure to thaw them fully and squeeze as a lot moisture out of them as doable.