Shrimp Fritters with Spicy Honey Glaze

These fritters gave me a bit of a surprise as they were cooking, but they turned out delicious. I noted it in the recipe below, but be careful with the temperature of your hot oil…the batter can be a bit explosive if not!! Fortunately it was only a bit of batter that jumped out onto my shirt sleeve and the back of the stove, not the hot oil. And, imagine a hush puppy-like ball filled with shrimp and green onions, dipped in a spicy honey sauce…are you imagining it? Good, because it’s even BETTER than what you’re thinking!

I had to get up and take the bowl back to the kitchen once I started feeling full, otherwise I would have continued to munch on them for the rest of the night. And as good as they are, I was not about to gorge myself to the point of sickness. Probably a good piece of advice – make them to share and avoid the temptation to gorge.

Shrimp Fritters with Spicy Honey Glaze

• 3/4 lb raw tiger shrimp, peeled and cut into chunks
• 2 green onions, thinly sliced
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 1/2 cups water
• 1 1/2 cups all purpose flour
• 1 Tbsp unsalted butter
• 1 tsp salt
• vegetable or canola oil for frying (2-3 inches worth in a pot or fryer)
• 1/2 tsp black pepper
• 2 eggs
• 2/3 cup honey
• 2 Tbsp fresh chili sauce (such as Sambal)

1. Place shrimp, green onions and garlic into a large mixing bowl, stir and set aside.
2. Pour water into medium pot, add butter and salt, and bring to a boil.
3. Once the mixture has come to a boil, add the flour and quickly stir until a dough forms. Then, continue to stir over medium heat, for about 3 minutes.
4. Meanwhile, preheat the oil to 350°F (medium high heat on the stove, if you don’t have a thermometer).
5. Place the dough into a stand mixer fixed with a paddle attachment and run on medium speed, allowing steam to escape.
6. Once the bulk of the steam has disappeared, add the eggs and mix, one at a time, scraping down the sides of the bowl after each addition.
7. Fold pepper into the mixture, then add the shrimp mixture and combine.
8. Once the oil is hot, add tablespoon sized balls (I used a medium cookie scoop) of the shrimp mixture into the oil in batches, making sure not to overcrowd the pot.
9. Fry each fritter for 4 to 6 minutes, flipping halfway if necessary. If the oil is too hot, the fritters may “explode”, popping the batter all over you, the stove, etc. So, be careful with the temp and lower it if any explosions occur. Drain on a paper towel and season lightly with salt.
10. To make the spicy honey drizzle, stir the honey and chili sauce together in a small bowl until well combined. Season with salt, to taste and serve with the fritters.