Rainy days and corn fritters family favourite
I don’t know a Kiwi who doesn’t love a good corn fritter.
They’re classic, whether you stack them with bacon for breakfast or serve them with dinner. My mum always made hers with creamed corn. They were fried in the skillet until almost charred, with the insides nice and gooey.
My partner is Indonesian, and his version, Bakwan Jagung, is slightly different. He recalls enjoying them with family on rainy afternoons, accompanied by hot cups of tea.
Bakwan Jagung are deep-fried and flavoured with onion, garlic and ginger. Many also contain kaffir lime leaf and finely chopped shrimp, and I’ve included both in this recipe. You can buy frozen kaffir lime leaves at Asian supermarkets, use coriander instead, or leave out.
August 17 was Indonesia Independence Day. Have a go at this recipe to mark the occasion.
Indonesian Corn Fritters (Bakwan Jagung)
Makes 20-25 fritters
● 3 cups corn kernels
● 2 medium onions, roughly chopped
● 6 cloves garlic, chopped
● 5g ginger, chopped
● 1 cup plain flour
● 1⁄2 cup rice flour
● 4 kaffir lime leaves, vein removed and finely chopped
● 1 tsp chilli flakes
● 1 tsp salt
● 3 eggs
● 1⁄4 cup finely chopped cooked shrimps
1. In a small food processor, process roughly 1⁄3 of the corn with onion, garlic and ginger until a chunky paste.
2. In a large bowl, combine flours, chopped lime leaves, chilli flakes and salt. Add corn mixture and mix until a dough forms. Add eggs, and mix.
3. Heat 10cm oil in a heavy-based pot or deep fryer over high heat. To test the heat, add a little bit of batter to the oil — if it bubbles immediately, the oil is hot enough. To cook the fritters, gently spoon about 2-3 tbsp of batter per fritter into the oil. Make sure you don’t overcrowd the pot. After about 4 minutes, flip each fritter — the bottoms should be lightly browned. Continue cooking for a further 2-3 minutes, until both sides are nicely browned and crispy. Remove with a slotted spoon and drain on paper towels.
4. Serve with sweet chilli sauce and fresh coriander.