Shrimp Fritters
Jalapenos are the most popular chile peppers in the US. This is probably due to the availability and versatility of the chile. Jalapenos have a balanced combination of flavor and heat.
The demand for these have caused breeders to develop a broad range of varieties. You can now get jalapenos with various heat level and sizes. These can be used in salsas, stuffed, or eaten straight with cheeseburgers (my personal favorite).
Ingredients:
1 pound medium shrimps, shelled, deveined and very coarsely chopped
3 slices of firm white sandwich bread, crusts removed and bread cut into 1/4
1 medium onion, minced
1/3 cup coarsely chopped cilantro
4 jalapeno chiles, stemmed, seeded and minced
6 garlic cloves, finely chopped
1 large egg, beaten
1 tsp. turmeric
1/2 tsp. cumin seeds
1/2 tsp. fresh lemon juice
1 tsp. salt
1 cup fine dry bread crumbs
2 cups vegetable oil, for frying
Instructions:
In a large bowl, combine the chopped shrimp with the diced bread, onion, cilantro, jalapenos, garlic, egg, turmeric, cumin, lemon juice and salt. Shape the shrimp mixture into 20 balls, using 2 Tbsp. of the mixture for each. Transfer the formed shrimp balls to a baking sheet and refrigerate them until firm, about 30 minutes.
Spread the bread crumbs in a shallow bowl and roll the shrimp balls in the mixture, patting to adhere, then shake off any excess crumbs.
In a large skillet, heat the oil until shimmering. Fry the shrimp fritters without crowding them in the skillet over moderately high heat. Cook them until they brown, about 2 minutes per side. Drain the shrimp fritters on a wire rack set over a baking sheet and 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.
Recipe by Jehangir Mehta, from the article, Manhattan Masala, which originally appeared in the November, 2003 issue of Food & Wine Magazine.