Colt-en Shrimp Fritters

So, how do you like your shrimp fritters ? What is your secret technique for a mouth-watering recipe ? Mine would actually be the hybrid of the traditional Malaysian all time favorite shrimp fritters, known as "Cucur Udang" and the Indian "Vada".

I was actually thinking of just fixing the Malaysian Cucur Udang, which is a concoction of shrimp, fresh cut green chilis, bean sprouts, and chopped green onions mixed in a plain floured fluffy batter and deep-fried to a crunchy perfection. But then I was also craving for some of Asha's assortment of winter munchies, especially the variety of vadas and pakoras recipes.

So basically all I did was substitute the vegetables from the Cucur Udang recipe with "chana dal" flour, aka yellow gram flour, slap a fancy Super Bowl related name to it and voila! The "Colt"-en Shrimp Fritter is born.

When preparing the batter, make sure it is not runny, otherwise it won't stick to the shrimp when you deep fry the fritters. The batter should be stirred to a smoothly thickened grits-like texture when they go into the fryer. That way, the fritters will be crunchy on the outside, and a tad soft on the inside. I also quick-freeze it for 15 minutes before frying to keep the fritter in shape. Also, make sure the oil is on medium heat, as they can get "burnt" quite easily.

Shrimp Fritter Recipe

Ingredients :
16 shrimps ( I used white ecuador shrimps here, size 26/30, peeled and deveined, leave the tail on )
200 gm chana dal flour ( lentil/yellow gram flour )
30 gm rice flour
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp tumeric powder
1 tsp minced ginger
1 tbsp sliced serrano chilis
1 tbsp chopped red bell peppers
1 tbsp chopped green onions
1 tbsp chopped cilantros
2 tsp cumin seeds
1 tbsp chana dal split peas ( soaked and softened )
salt to taste
210 ml water

Method :

1) In a bowl, mix all the ingredients until batter form a paste-like mixture, and let chill in the refrigerator for about 10 minutes.
2) Remove batter from the refrigerator, dip the shrimp into the batter, deep fry at high-medium heat until golden brown.