Morel Corn Fritters
These Thai-inspired fritters can be served warm or at room temperature, as an appetizer or side dish.
by Deb
Fried Morel Corn Fritters at Suds 'n' Shrooms. Photo by Katherine Elvin
Method
Sweet Chili Sauce
You can buy sweet chili sauce at the market, or here's a suggestion if you want to make your own:
In a small saucepan, combine the water, sugar, vinegar, soy sauce, minced garlic, and chili flakes.
Bring the mixture to a gentle boil over medium heat. Reduce heat and let it simmer for about 3–5 minutes, allowing the garlic to soften and the flavors to concentrate.
Give your cornstarch slurry a quick stir to make sure the starch hasn't settled, then whisk it into the saucepan.
Simmer, stirring constantly, until the sauce becomes glossy and thick enough to coat the back of a spoon (another 1–2 minutes).
Remove from heat and let it cool completely. (It will thicken up more as it cools down.)
Make the Fritters
In a small bowl, stir together flour, baking powder, baking soda and sugar with a fork.
In a medium bowl, whisk together eggs, garlic, fish sauce and curry paste until smooth.
Whisk in flour mixture until no streaks of dry flour remain, and the batter has an even color and consistency.
Stir in corn and morels and continue mixing until completely blended to a thick, smooth batter. (The amount of batter relative to solids may seem scant, but don’t worry.)
In a large skillet, heat oil over medium-high heat. Drop batter by tablespoonfuls into the hot oil. Cook until deep golden brown (about 2 minutes per side). Drain on paper towels.
Serve with sweet chili sauce for dipping.
Recipe contributed:
May
2008
This dish goes fast, especially after a long day of hunting. I made these fritters at an FFSC Continental Picnic that we held at Bob and Judy Lipp's house. (It was a great gathering!) It seemed that everyone was thinking ahead to our Spring Foray, as morels were the predominant, but not the only, species served.
This recipe is adapted from The Mauna Loa Cooking Treasury by Leslie Mansfield. That recipe has a more Hawaiian style and also includes macadamia nuts.
Objective:
Appetizer
Total Time:
30 mins (est)
Yield:
45 fritters
Suggested Mushrooms:
- Morel (Morchella sp.)
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Ingredients
Fritters
¾ cup flour
1½ tsp baking powder
1½ tsp baking soda
1 tsp sugar
4 eggs, beaten
4 cloves garlic, finely minced
1½ Tbsp. fish sauce*
1½ Tbsp. red curry paste
2 Cups corn kernels, fresh or frozen and thawed
1 Cup chopped, sautéed morels** (fresh or dried and reconstituted)
(Optional) 1 Cup chopped toasted macadamia nuts
1 ½ cup neutral, high heat stable oil (peanut, sunflower, canola)
Sweet Chili Sauce
(You can also just buy sweet chili sauce at the market, if you don't want to make your own.)
½ cup water
½ cup white granulated sugar
¼ cup rice vinegar (or white vinegar in a pinch)
1 Tbsp. soy sauce (or vegan fish sauce)
1 Tbsp. minced garlic
1 tsp. red chili flakes (use more if you like it more spicy)
A slurr of 1 tsp cornstarch mixed with 1 Tbsp cold water
* If vegetarian, you can substitute the same amount of light soy sauce or tamari, or vegan fish sauce.
** If you don't have morels, you could substitute hedgehog mushrooms, well-chopped porcini, or yellowfoot.