Crispy Corn Fritters (Vegan & Easy)
These crispy corn fritters are savory eggless pancakes packed with fresh corn kernels, diced onions, flour, and coconut milk, all bound together with a light and fluffy batter. Pan-fried to golden perfection, they're a delicious appetizer or snack that's sure to please everyone, even the pickiest eaters. They’re easy to make, customizable and great for meal prep. Here's how to make it.
Servings: 10 fritters
Calories: 180kcal
Equipment
- 1 large mixing bowl
- 1 Frying pan
Ingredients
- 1 and ½ cup fresh corn kernels or canned corn kernels
- ½ cup finely chopped onions
- 1 teaspoon finely chopped/minced garlic
- ½ teaspoon grated ginger
- 2 tablespoon chopped cilantro or coriander leaves substitute parsley or dill leaves
- ½ teaspoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon lemon juice
- ¼ cup all-purpose flour
- ½ teaspoon red chili powder or use red pepper flakes
- ½ teaspoon roasted cumin powder refer notes to make cumin powder.
- 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- salt to taste
- ¼ cup coconut milk or any non-dairy milk For non-vegans use dairy milk.
- oil to fry
Instructions
- Prep the corn kernels. If using fresh corn kernels blanch them in boiling water for 5 minutes. Drain well, pat dry with clean kitchen towel and set aside. If using canned corn, you can proceed to the next step.
- Make the ground corn paste. Grind ½ cup of the corn kernels in a food processor or blender without adding water. You want a slightly coarse texture, not a completely smooth puree. Set the ground corn kernels aside.
- Prepare the corn fritter batter. In a large mixing bowl, add the remaining corn kernels, onion, ground corn kernels, ginger, garlic, cilantro, baking powder, lemon juice, all-purpose flour, red chili powder, cumin powder, black pepper powder & salt. Combine all the ingredients well. Now add coconut milk & stir to make the batter. Do not over-mix the batter. Set it aside.
- Pan fry the corn fritters - Heat a heavy-bottomed pan over medium heat. Add 2 tablespoons of oil to coat the base of the pan. When the pan is hot, pour the batter with a spoon. Press the batter gently with the back of the spoon to flatten it (like a pancake). You can also use a cookie scoop to scoop out the batter.
- Let the fritter fry on one side for 2-3 minutes. Do not try to flip it immediately after pouring the batter. Wait for 2 minutes after pouring the batter, check at the base of one fritter by gently lifting it. If it is golden, flip it & fry on the other side until golden & crisp. Serve immeditely with tomato sauce or any dip.
Video
Notes
- Roast cumin seeds on heated pan until aromatic. Cool down to room temperature. Crush in mortar and pestle to make cumin powder.
- If using frozen corn, make sure to thaw it first & drain off the excess liquid.
- If using canned corn, drain it & pat it dry.
- Make the fritter batter slightly thick. The fritters will be crisp when fried. The batter should have less water content. If you add more milk than required it will make the batter soggy.
- Oil temperature is crucial for achieving crispy, golden fritters. Too low and they'll absorb too much oil, becoming greasy and soggy. Too high and the exterior burns before the interior cooks.
- Do not over-mix the batter. This is the key to getting crispy corn fritters. Overmixing the batter develops the gluten in the flour, making the fritters tough.
- Do not overcrowd the pan when frying the fritters. This will give enough room for the fritters to fry & be crisp.
- Baking powder or baking soda creates tiny air bubbles that rise during cooking, leading to a lighter and crispier fritter.
- If you are not making a vegan version, use regular dairy milk to make the fritters.
- You can season the fritters with only black pepper & salt to make it a kid-friendly snack.
- The addition of red chili powder is optional. If you like to spice it up then add it. You can also add red pepper flakes instead of red chili powder.
- If you find the fritter batter looks dry then add more milk. But use only 1 or 2 teaspoon extra. If you add more milk to the batter then the batter will be watery & the corn fritters will be soggy.
- Using an ice cream scooper. This tool helps portion the batter evenly and creates a round shape for even cooking.
- Storage - Let the prepared fritters cool down completely. You can freeze them in a zip lock bag or air-tight container. It stays good for a month. Thaw them for 30 minutes on the counter. Reheat it in a pan & enjoy it.
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Nutrition
Calories: 180kcal