Two plates of sweetcorn fritters next to a bowl of chilli and tomato sambal.

Indonesian sweetcorn fritters with chilli and tomato sambal

Name: Indonesian sweetcorn fritters with chilli and tomato sambal
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 20 min
Total time: 35 min
Yield: 4
Cuisine: Indonesian
Ingredients: 250g sweetcorn kernels; 3 makrut lime leaves, stems removed, thinly sliced; 2 garlic cloves, grated; 2 spring onions, finely chopped; 1-2 red bird's eye chillies, finely chopped; 1 long shallot, finely chopped; 6 tbsp rice flour; 4 tbsp cornflour; ½ tsp white pepper; 500ml sunflower oil, for deep-frying; 3 green or red tomatoes, chopped; 2-3 red bird's eye chillies, thinly sliced; 1 long shallot, finely chopped; 2 tbsp coconut oil or extra-virgin olive oil, warmed; juice of 2 limes

Preparation and cooking time
- Prep:15 mins
- Cook:20 mins
Easy
Serves 4

Ingredients

250g sweetcorn kernels
3 makrut lime leaves, stems removed, thinly sliced
2 garlic cloves, grated
2 spring onions, finely chopped
1-2 red bird's eye chillies, finely chopped
1 long shallot, finely chopped
6 tbsp rice flour
4 tbsp cornflour
½ tsp white pepper
500ml sunflower oil, for deep-frying

Chilli and tomato sambal

3 green or red tomatoes, chopped
2-3 red bird's eye chillies, thinly sliced
1 long shallot, finely chopped
2 tbsp coconut oil or extra-virgin olive oil, warmed
juice of 2 limes

Method

STEP 1
To make the sambal, put all the ingredients in a bowl and mix well. Season with ¼ tsp of salt and add a pinch of sugar, if you like. Serve immediately or transfer to an airtight container and top with oil – it will keep in the fridge for two to three days.
STEP 2
For the fritters, if using canned sweetcorn, drain well and squeeze out as much water as possible from the kernels. Transfer the sweetcorn to a food processor and blend for 10 seconds into a coarse purée.
STEP 3
Put the sweetcorn, lime leaves, garlic, spring onions, chillies and shallot in a large bowl, and mix well. Stir in the rice flour and cornflour. Season with ½ tsp of salt and the white pepper. The batter should be thick but easy to mix – if needed, add 2-3 tbsp of cold water to thin it out slightly.
STEP 4
Heat the oil in a wok or deep pan over a medium heat. The oil is ready when a cube of bread dropped in sizzles on contact and turns golden in 10-15 seconds. Alternatively, use a thermometer and heat to 180C.
STEP 5
Scoop a tablespoon of the mixture and flatten it slightly into a patty. Repeat with the remaining mixture. Carefully lower five or six fritters into the pan and deep-fry for 2-3 mins on each side or until golden brown. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the cooked fritters to a plate lined with kitchen paper. Repeat with the remaining fritters. Put the fritters on a serving dish and serve with the sambal.