30 MINUTES OR LESS: Crab Nori Fritters

Crab Nori Fritters

Serves 8

• 4 cups vegetable or canola oil
• 1 cup yellow cornmeal
• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 2 tablespoons baking powder
• pinch of salt
• 3 eggs
• 1 3/4 cups milk
• 450 grams shredded crabsticks
• 1 cup shredded nori strips
• 1/4 cup shredded cucumber

WASABI MAYONNAISE:

• 1 cup mayonnaise
• 1 teaspoon wasabi paste
• 1/2 teaspoon lemon juice

1. Heat oil in a pot until 350°F.  

2. In a bowl, whisk together cornmeal, flour, baking powder, and salt.

3. In another bowl, combine eggs and milk. Whisk this into the flour mixture. Stir until well combined and smooth.

4. Fold in the crabsticks, nori and cucumber.

5. To make the wasabi mayonnaise, mix all the ingredients in a bowl and set aside.

6. Drop 1 teaspoonful of batter into the heated oil. Fry until golden brown, about 2 to 3 minutes. Place cooked fritters on paper towels to drain excess oil.

7. Serve with wasabi mayonnaise.

CHEF’S NOTE:

You can use what you happen to have in your pantry or refrigerator. Instead of crabsticks, make the fritters with leftover boiled chicken, real flaked crabmeat, or drained tuna flakes. Replace the cucumbers with carrots. No cornmeal? Try polenta or powdered corn flakes instead (but the fritters won’t be as crunchy). 

This recipe first appeared in FOOD Magazine, October-November 2014 issue

Styling by Tina Concepcion Diaz 

Photo by Paulo Valenzuela