Perkedel Jagung (Indonesian corn fritters)

Here is a recipe for perkedel jagung (corn fritters) that was passed to me by an Indonesian friend's mother.  There is one ingredient missing from this recipe as I could not decipher a few words on the handwritten recipe card.  If anyone spots a glaring omission in the recipe, please let me know (I am not too sure, but I think it could be galangal).  To me, this version is a lot more flavorful than the version that I had at the Taste of Honolulu earlier in the year.  This is easy to make and is an excellent appetizer.

Perkedel Jagung (Indonesian corn fritters)
(makes betwen 8-10 "fritters")

3 ears fresh corn, kernels removed from the cob
1 tablespoon chopped Chinese leeks (garlic chives)
1 egg, beaten
2 tablespoons rice flour
vegetable oil for frying

Spice paste

1 teaspoon coriander seeds, lightly toasted
1 teaspoon black peppercorns
6 shallots, minced
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 teaspoon rock salt
1 tablespoon granulated sugar

Combine the coriander seeds, black peppercorns, shallots, garlic, rock salt and sugar in a mortar and pound until a smooth paste is formed.  Set aside.

In a bowl, lightly pound corn, then add in spice paste mixing until well combined.  Add in Chinese leeks, then add in the rice flour and toss to coat evenly.  Add in beaten egg and stir until well blended.

Drop by the spoonful into hot oil and fry until golden brown, about 2-3 minutes.  Remove and drain well.

Enjoy!

Comments

[Kirk]

Reid - These look yummy - I'm sure Jo's going to go crazy over these!

[Jo]

How did you know Kirk? =oP

[Kirk]

Jo - You wouldn't let this recipe "fritter" away!

[Jo]

::rolls eyes laughing:: Oh geez Kirk! You shouldn't know me that well already!!!

[milgwimper]

Hey why are you guys frittering around here when you could be frittering away in the kitchen! Get going! LOL ;P

[Reid]

Hi Kirk,

These are actually quite yummy and very easy to make. You don't really need any sauce with them, but if you wanted to, you could use the Thai sweet chilli sauce.

Hi Jo,

LOL! I thought you'd like these too, but then again, I would have also expected you to be making suggestions on additions/changes to the recipe by now. You're slipping! =)

Hi Milgwimper,

My point exactly!

[Jo]

ACK! ::laughing:: You guys are picking on me again! Actually, today, I have a very VERY special surprise for everyone that shows up at 3 p.m. for dinner. ::arches an eyebrow teasingly:: And don't you worry none, I'll be doing these fritters hopefully this week. They sound awesome and as Mills will tell you, I've been working very hard on getting past my wuss mouth. Mills, I need your camera!!!

[Kirk]

Jo - We were just being pro-active, right Reid! :oD

[Jo]

Ooo yea, right! ::laughing:: Pro-Active huh? Sounds like you've been to one to many quality management classes! =oP

[Kirk]

Jo - Wait till I start getting into "paradigm shifts" - HA! LOL!

[Jo]

OH yea Kirk, ::roaring:: Seeing you in a shift would REALLY do something for my paradigms! HA!

[Reid]

Hi Jo,

I was waiting for what you had in store for us, but alas, still no photos on your blog! *sigh*

BTW...you two are too much!

[milgwimper]

A pair of diggn shifts...What? Huh? LOL I don't want to know! LOL *wink*

Well I have some pics to give to Jo, but it will all have to wait til DH has time to help me. I dont know what happened to me and my facination with computers and programming and etc. I went to kollege and that went out the window. Go figure.

[milgwimper]

Reid,

I've looked at a recipe for Pergedel Jagung in one of my cookbooks, and it mentions trasi, chili powder, laos powder(galangal), cummin, celery, and a squeeze of lemon. So, maybe it was galangal, or any of these spices/vegetable? Although I think I will add the addition of Chinese leeks to the recipe since cookbook recipe does not mention it. I think I will try yours and the cookbook recipe on Sat, and let you know how each one turns out. Don;t hold your breath though because it might be awhile with my schedule.

[J]

hi reid, those look fantastic - sweet, crunchy and delectably spiced...thanks for the recipe...sounds like the perfect nibble to go with beer...have hunch galangal is your missing suspect...cheers,j

[Moira]

These sound really good, Reid....thanks for sharing the recipe!

[Reid]

Hi Milgwimper,

I'm anxious to see how yours turns out. I'll be waiting!

BTW...so you're the one that's holding up Jo huh? *wink*

Hi J,

I think galangal is the missing suspect as well. Although I don't drink beer, I suspect it would go very well with it.

Hi Moira,

These are quite easy to make and quite tasty too. =)

[Jo]

I'm perplexed... there are a few posts with photos, the ones where Kirk was here and the Fleur de Coco post. You are seeing those pics right?

Question for those of you suggesting galangal as the missing ingredient: What makes you think it's galangal and what flavor attributes do the galangal impart? I've only used galangal once and I'm not sure I used it properly, any additional input would be much appreciated.

[Kirk]

Hi Jo - You've linked your old Blogspot URL to your comment post - not your new Typepad Blog.

[Jo]

ahHA! Thanks! I'm moving (slowly) to a new email address. Thanks for pointing that out!

[Reid]

Hi Jo,

Yes, I am. But you did tell Mills that you needed to borrow her camera for something. Just don't know what it is.

Galangal is a type of tuber and is related to ginger. The flavor is similar to ginger, but it can also be a bit "peppery". I should also mention that it's frequently used in SE Asian cooking.

[Jason]

Yup, that is that was missing. It is also sometimes called Thai Ginger. Looks like ginger, but doesn't have that same bite (a bit milder, I thought). My family is from Indonesia and they make these things sometimes. Somehow dad was able to find fresh galangal somewhere around Bakersfield, CA where they live. If he can find it, it can be that hard to locate. Happy cooking! Love your blog. My wife and I are going to be coming to Oahu in a month or so. Any suggestions for vegetarians? I heard about the vegetarian dim sum at Legend. Any thoughts?

[Reid]

Hi Jason,

Thank you for stopping by!

I kind of thought it was galangal, but I really couldn't read the handwritten card as it had gotten smudged. However, since I, and so many others feel like that's what it's supposed to be, I'll go ahead and use it next time I make these.

Thanks for the compliments on the blog. I'm really glad you like it.

There is actually a vegetarian dim sum restaurant that is operated by Legend right next door. In my opinion, the dim sum served there is much better than the one served at Legend. Are you asking because you're a vegetarian?

Hope you enjoy your trip!