Anchovy Fritters
- Total Time: 15 mins
- Yield: 12 fritters 1x
Description
Dried anchovies are common throughout Asia; although they might be trickier to find elsewhere, most Chinese supermarkets or specialty stores should carry them.
Ingredients
- 1 cup (240 ml) plain flour
- 1/2 cup (120 ml) cooked rice
- 1 egg
- 1 red onion- diced finely
- 1/2 cup (120 ml) dried anchovies (ikan bilis)
- few sprigs spring onions-chopped
- 1 small red chilli- sliced finely
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp black pepper
- Water as needed
- Canola oil for frying
Instructions
- Grind the anchovies until almost fine powder. You can omit this step and have whole anchovies instead.
- Mix all the ingredients together until well combined, add water and form thick pancake batter like consistency.
- Heat the oil. Spoon some batter into the hot oil and fry until golden.
- Prep Time: 5 mins
- Cook Time: 10 mins
- Category: Appetizer
- Cuisine: Asian
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 3 fritters
- Calories: 210
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Frequently Asked Questions
What are dried anchovies (ikan bilis), and where can I find them?
Ikan bilis are small, dried anchovies widely used across Southeast Asian cuisines for their concentrated umami flavor. The excerpt notes they are common throughout Asia but trickier to find elsewhere — most Chinese supermarkets or Asian specialty stores carry them. They come in small cellophane bags in the dried goods section.
Do I have to grind the anchovies into powder, or can I leave them whole?
The recipe says grinding the dried anchovies to almost a fine powder is step 1, but explicitly notes you can omit this step and use the anchovies whole instead. Ground anchovies distribute flavor more evenly through the fritter; whole ones give occasional salty, crunchy bites.
