Spicy Corn Fritters | Playful Cooking (2024)

I was prepping for dinner when I got distracted towards the television. Brian Boitan was sharing his love for a special corn fritterthat he ate at E&O Asian Kitchen in San Francisco. Who doesn’t like deep-fried snacks and anyways, SF is not far from my place. But then again, I was not sure I could wait long enough for a trip! Quickly I switched off the stove and started making notes of whatever information I could gather while observing the chef. She made it sound so easy but even after multiple attempts, it didn't come out half as close to what the chef had presented.

Deep fried cooking doesn’t happen a lot often at our home. We both love it but we avoid it as much possible. My Mom always says, never give up any kind of food that you like. If it’s not healthy, eat less and savor the moment. And so we did!

The first attempt was a disaster. I almost burnt my finger, the kernels were gettingseparatedin the oil, it got overcooked and the first few fritters went straight from the wok to the bin. Being stubborn that I am, didn't want to give up. Ilowered the heat and this time with much caution, I dropped the mixture in the hot oil. Result - all my fingers were still in place and the fritters came out crispy, crunchy and sweet at every bite!

I had my doubts if Arvind would like it and he proved me correct. It was not as savory or as spicy as he would have preferred in any such snack bites. So, the next time, I gave my own little Indian twist to the mixture. I added garam masala, along with amchoor (raw mango powder), some cayenne powder and fresh mint. And this time, I didn’t deep-fry it; rather pan-fried it in a cast iron pan.

We both loved it and gulped it down with some cold beer.

Summer corns are a delightful creamy treat and one should relish some before the season goes away. Growing up, I don't remember eating a lot of corn. It would mostly be the grilled corn that we would buy from the roadside food stalls. This year, I am taking inspiration from everywhere and eating a lot morefresh corn than ever.

While making this fritter, just make sure not to over mix the ingredients. The mixture can be prepared in advanced and fried later. I still have to visit that restaurant and enjoy some of those Indonesian fritters but until then, I am going to enjoy the home made Indian version ones!

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