Shrimp fritters

This is a recipe I’ve wanted to make for a long time. Big, crispy, puffy doughnuts with jumbo shrimp. The only concern I had when testing was that my doughnuts did not stay crisp for very long after baking. They were visually beautiful, but soft after 5 minutes. I quickly identified the problem and so I present to you this recipe that is still crunchy! You can even make these doughnuts during the day and heat them up in the oven before dinner. They will regain their delicious texture in 8 minutes! 

Why does this recipe stay crisp? Most of the recipes for shrimp fritters include the addition of egg: whole, yolk or white egg. We see all kinds of things, but we have to go for the simplest, that’s often the key! While the eggs make the doughnuts puff up nicely, they add a texture that becomes soft after 5 minutes in the air. This is normal because the eggs give a “cakey” texture! By using only flour, cornstarch and fresh water (and yeast of course), the water evaporates when it comes into contact with the hot oil. In this case, only the flour/starch remains on the shrimp, which remains perfectly crispy. 

Recipe for 24 shrimp fritters:

-24 large shrimps or prawns

-180g of flour (I took T55)

-120g of wheat (or potato) starch

-1/4 teaspoon salt

-250g of cold water

-2 packets of baking powder

– frying oil

Add cold water and mix well until there are no lumps. 

The dough should be runny but very thick. 

Chill the bowl of dough for at least 30 minutes, unless the water is very cold. 

Prepare the prawns by peeling them. Just leave the tip of the tail.

When the oil is hot, add the baking powder to the batter and mix well (at the last second!).

Dip the prawns in flour (in addition to the flour used for the dough) and remove the excess. 

Dip generously into the dough on all sides. 

Then gently scrape the end of the shrimp over the edge of the bowl. 

Then plunge the shrimp into the oil, holding it in this position for 3 seconds to give the fritter a nice shape.

Then drop the doughnut into the oil.

Do the same with the remaining large shrimp. Let cook until a nice golden color is obtained.

Drain on paper towels and serve immediately with a sweet chili sauce. 

For a reheating in the oven: heat the oven to 200°C, then put the doughnuts in a dish and let cook for 5-7 minutes. Then let stand for 3 minutes outside the oven, the doughnuts will regain their crispness !