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Middle Eastern Seafood Fritters

Serves 4 to 6 Appetizer seafood, Appetizers

Middle Eastern Seafood Fritters

Middle Eastern Seafood Fritters are a cherished staple at home tables across the region, embodying the simplicity and generosity of family cooking. These fritters are crafted by hand, with salt measured by instinct and a generous use of oil to achieve their signature crispiness. This recipe captures the home-cooked essence, passed down through generations and finally written down for the modern cook.

Biting into a fritter reveals a tender interior of shrimp or white fish, held together by a delicate batter. The exterior is golden and crunchy, a satisfying contrast to the soft, savory filling. A squeeze of lemon brightens each bite, enhancing the seafood's natural sweetness and adding a fresh zing that balances the dish perfectly.

Ingredients

  • 400 gshrimp or white fish
  • 100 gflour
  • 1egg
  • for fryingoil
  • lemon — to serve
  • to tastefine sea salt

Method

  1. Begin by preparing the seafood. If using shrimp, peel and devein them, then chop into small pieces. If using white fish, ensure it is boneless and cut into small chunks. This ensures even cooking and a uniform texture in the fritters.
  2. In a mixing bowl, combine 100 g of flour and a pinch of fine sea salt. Crack in 1 egg and whisk until smooth. Gradually add the chopped seafood to the batter, ensuring each piece is well-coated. This mixture should be thick enough to hold together but not overly stiff.
  3. Heat a generous amount of oil in a large frying pan over medium-high heat. You want enough oil to cover the bottom of the pan by about 1 cm. The oil is ready when a small drop of batter sizzles immediately upon contact.
  4. Using a spoon, carefully drop portions of the seafood batter into the hot oil. Do not overcrowd the pan; this allows the fritters to cook evenly and become crispy. Fry each fritter for about 3-4 minutes on each side, or until they are a deep golden brown and the seafood is cooked through.
  5. Once the fritters are golden and crispy, remove them from the pan and drain on a paper towel-lined plate to absorb excess oil. This step ensures they remain crisp and not greasy.
  6. Finish by squeezing fresh lemon juice over the hot fritters and sprinkle with additional fine sea salt to taste. The lemon adds brightness and balances the richness of the fritters.
  7. Serve the fritters immediately while they are hot and crispy, perfect for sharing around the table.
Cover of Authentic Middle Eastern Cuisine
From the cookbook

Authentic Middle Eastern Cuisine

This recipe is from Authentic Middle Eastern Cuisine by Yassine Sbiti — the Middle Eastern volume in the ComidaTime International Cuisines series.

Available soon on Amazon…

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