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Okoy (shrimp and squash fritters)
Ukoy: crisp lacy fritters of small shrimp, squash and bean sprouts with spiced vinegar
FilipinoIn coastal towns of Laguna and Pampanga, okoy are fried to order at the market: a thin batter barely holding together small shrimp, matchsticks of squash or sweet potato and bean sprouts, flattened on a saucer and slid into hot oil until lacy and shatteringly crisp. They are eaten hot, dipped in garlicky vinegar, as merienda or as a starter before rice. Chef's tip: use just enough batter to bind; a thick batter makes heavy pancakes instead of crunchy, see-through nests.
- Total time
- 40 min
- Difficulty
- easy
- Serves
- 4
Ingredients
For the fritters
- 7 oz small raw shrimppeeled (tiny ones can stay shell-on, heads removed)
- 7 oz butternut squashpeeled, cut into matchsticks
- 3 ½ oz bean sprouts
- 2 spring onionssliced
- 2 ⅛ oz plain flour
- 1 ⅜ oz cornflour
- ½ tsp annatto powder (optional)
- 1 tbsp fish sauce
- 1 egg
- ½ cup cold water
- 1 ¾ cups vegetable oilfor shallow frying
For the dip
- ½ cup cane or white vinegar
- 3 cloves garliccrushed
- ¼ tsp black pepper
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What you'll need
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Method
0/6 doneStep 1: Mix ½ cup cane or white vinegar, 3 cloves garlic and ¼ tsp black pepper in a small bowl and set aside.
2 minStep 2: Whisk 2 ⅛ oz plain flour, 1 ⅜ oz cornflour, ½ tsp annatto powder, 1 tbsp fish sauce, 1 egg and ½ cup cold water into a thin batter, like single cream.
2 minStep 3: Fold in 7 oz butternut squash, 3 ½ oz bean sprouts, 2 spring onions and 7 oz small raw shrimp so everything is lightly coated, with no pools of batter.
2 minStep 4: Heat 1 ¾ cups vegetable oil about 2 cm deep in a frying pan over a medium-high heat until a strand of squash sizzles hard at once.
4 minStep 5: Spoon a heaped ladle of the mixture onto a saucer, flatten it thin, and slide it into the oil. Fry 3 at a time for 3 minutes a side, until deep golden and crisp right through and the shrimp are pink and opaque.
18 minStep 6: Drain upright in a sieve or on a rack so they stay crisp, and serve hot with the garlic vinegar.
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 330 kcal
- Protein
- 15 g
- Carbs
- 30 g
- Fat
- 16 g
- Fibre
- 3 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does okoy (shrimp and squash fritters) take?
- About 40 minutes in total: 20 minutes to prepare and 20 minutes to cook.
- How many people does it serve?
- 4 as written. Change the servings above the ingredients and every amount scales to match.
- What can I use instead of spring onions?
- Chives, or a little finely sliced onion.
- What can I use instead of plain flour?
- Self-raising flour, same amount (then leave out the baking powder).
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