Burmese calabash fritters

This Burmese-inspired recipe features calabash, or bottle gourd, dunked in a thick, gluten-free batter that is fried to crispy perfection. If you can’t find any calabash, try this recipe with zucchini instead!

Credit: Jiwon Kim

• serves

  4

• prep

  15 minutes

• cook

  20 minutes

• difficulty

  Easy

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Ingredients

• 1½ cup fine rice flour
• ½ cup glutinous rice flour
• ½ cup chickpea flour
• ½ tsp turmeric powder
• ½ tsp salt
• 1 calabash (bottle gourd), cut into 2 cm x 8 cm batons, seeds removed
• Vegetable oil, for deep-frying

For the tamarind sauce

• 1 tomato
• 5 bird’s eye chillies
• 2 tbsp tamarind pulp with seeds
• 3 garlic cloves
• 1 cm x 2 cm piece ginger, peeled
• 2 tbsp fried shallots
• 1 tbsp palm sugar
• 1 tsp salt
• 2 tsp roughly chopped coriander leaves

Instructions

1. For the tamarind sauce, heat a chargrill pan or barbecue over medium heat. Grill the tomato and chillies whole, until lightly blackened and softened. In a large heatproof jug, combine the tamarind pulp with 400 ml hot water and mix well to combine. Allow to stand for 10 minutes before using.
2. Trim the stalks from the tomato and chillies, then transfer to a small blender or a mortar and pestle with the garlic, ginger and fried shallots. Blitz to a paste. Strain the solids from the tamarind water, then combine the chilli paste mixture with the tamarind water, palm sugar and salt. Stir through the coriander, then taste the sauce and adjust the seasoning to your liking.
3. In a large mixing bowl, combine the rice flours, chickpea flour, turmeric and salt. Gradually whisk in 200 ml water a little at a time to create a thick batter, the consistency of thick pancake batter. Stir the calabash through the batter.
4. Add enough oil to a small saucepan to deep-fry, then heat to 175˚C. Drop the coated calabash pieces into the oil one at a time, then deep-fry in batches for about 8 minutes, or until the fritter is crisp and golden. Use tongs to remove to a plate lined with paper towel to drain of any excess oil. Serve the calabash fritters with tamarind sauce on the side.

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Cook's Notes

Oven temperatures are for conventional; if using fan-forced (convection), reduce the temperature by 20˚C. | We use Australian tablespoons and cups: 1 teaspoon equals 5 ml; 1 tablespoon equals 20 ml; 1 cup equals 250 ml. | All herbs are fresh (unless specified) and cups are lightly packed. | All vegetables are medium size and peeled, unless specified. | All eggs are 55-60 g, unless specified.

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The Cook Up with Adam Liaw

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