Shrimp Fritters
- ACTIVE: 40 MIN
- TOTAL TIME: 50 MIN
- SERVINGS: Makes 20 fritters
- •MAKE-AHEAD
"Parsis love to eat," says Jehangir Mehta, a descendant of the Persian refugees who settled in Bombay. These fried shrimp fritters are a favorite Mehta family recipe: Jehangir's mother, aunt and grandmother serve them with rice.
- 1 pound medium shrimp—shelled, deveined and very coarsely chopped
- 3 slices of firm white sandwich bread, crusts removed and bread cut into 1/4-inch dice
- 1 medium onion, minced
- 1/3 cup coarsely chopped cilantro
- 4 jalapeños, seeded and minced
- 6 garlic cloves, finely chopped
- 1 large egg, beaten
- 1 teaspoon turmeric
- 1/2 teaspoon cumin seeds
- 1/2 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 cup fine dry bread crumbs
- 2 cups vegetable oil, for frying
- In a large bowl, combine the chopped shrimp with the diced bread, onion, cilantro, jalapeños, garlic, egg, turmeric, cumin, lemon juice and salt. Shape the shrimp mixture into 20 balls, using 2 tablespoons of the mixture for each. Transfer to a baking sheet and refrigerate until firm, about 30 minutes.
- Spread the bread crumbs in a shallow bowl. Roll the shrimp balls in the bread crumbs, patting to adhere. Shake off any excess crumbs. In a large skillet, heat the oil until shimmering. Fry the shrimp fritters without crowding the skillet over moderately high heat until browned, about 2 minutes per side. Drain the shrimp fritters on a wire rack set over a baking sheet. Repeat with the remaining shrimp fritters. When all of the fritters have been fried, arrange them on a baking sheet well apart and bake for about 5 minutes, or until cooked through.
Make Ahead
The shrimp fritters can be made through Step 1 and refrigerated overnight. They can also be fried up to 1 day ahead and then finished in the oven just before serving. Bring the shrimp fritters to room temperature before baking them.