Ukoy (Shrimp Fritters)

Ingredients

Batter

• 80 g rice flour
• 80 g plain flour
• 1 teaspoon salt
• ½ teaspoon ground white pepper
• ½ teaspoon ground turmeric (for colour)
• 1 egg (large)
• 250 ml cold water

Mix-ins

• 300 g grated kabocha (or butternut squash, ~2 cups loose)
• 200 g mung bean sprouts
• 4 spring onions (finely sliced)
• 12 whole shrimp (small, head and shell on, about 200 g total; or 24 if very small)

Frying

• 800 ml neutral oil (sunflower or rapeseed)

Garlic-vinegar dip

• 4 tablespoons white cane vinegar
• 4 garlic cloves (minced)
• 1 teaspoon salt
• ½ teaspoon ground black pepper
• 1 red chilli (small, sliced thin)

Method

Stage 1 - Shrimp

1. Rinse the small whole shrimp under cold water.
2. Pat dry on kitchen paper (don't peel - the shells become crispy when fried).
3. Set aside.

Stage 2 - Batter

1. In a wide bowl, whisk both flours, salt, white pepper and turmeric.
2. Add the egg and cold water; whisk to a smooth batter (consistency of double cream).
3. Stir in the grated squash, mung-bean sprouts and spring onions.
4. The mixture should be loose and full of vegetables.

Stage 3 - Garlic-vinegar dip

1. In a small bowl, combine vinegar, minced garlic, salt, pepper and chilli.
2. Whisk; rest 10 minutes for the garlic to mellow.

Stage 4 - Fry

1. Heat the oil in a wide pan to 175°C (a cube of bread should sizzle and brown in 30 seconds).
2. Spoon a generous ladle of batter into the oil to form a 10 cm disc.
3. Quickly arrange 1 whole shrimp on top of each disc, pressing gently so they stick (you can do 3-4 fritters per batch in a large pan).
4. Fry 3-4 minutes till crisp gold underneath; flip carefully with a slotted spoon; fry 2 more minutes.
5. Lift onto a wire rack to drain (paper towels make the bottoms soggy).
6. Skim any debris from the oil between batches.

Stage 5 - Serve

1. Pile the fritters on a warm platter.
2. Serve with the garlic-vinegar dip in small bowls for each diner.