Shrimp Fritters Lime Mayo
By Emma
Certified Culinary Professional
•
Recipe tested & approved
Crunchy shrimp fritters mixed with scallions and garlic, fried golden. Lime mayonnaise zested and juiced for tang. Batter balanced with baking powder and spices, cayenne heat subtle. Onion garnish soaked in ice water for crispness. Oil at 180C for proper bubbling sizzle. Classic balance of texture, spice, and creamy cool dip. Tried swapping crevettes for crab once; texture changed but still good. Mayo twist with lime zest cuts mayonnaise heaviness. Frying requires care to avoid oil splatter; scoop size and oil heat key. Serve immediately; fritters soften fast. Simple ingredients but technique matters for crispness and flavor kick.
Prep:
35 min
Cook:
11 min
Total:
46 min
Servings:
4 servings
#seafood
#snack
#Caribbean fusion
#fried food
#appetizer
#seafood fritters
Shrimp fritters need that crispy snap outside, yielding warm shrimp bits inside. Lime mayonnaise cuts richness. Chill onion slices in ice water; it’s magic for crunch, acts like a mini palate cleanser during bites. Careful with batter texture—too thin fritters fall apart; too stiff, they’re heavy blobs. Fry hot, about 180 Celsius. Listen, smell, watch. Bubbles quicken, surface turns gold—get it right and you’ll see. Tried crab once, more delicate but less smoky than shrimp. Mayonnaise got zested lime, sharpness freshens the fattiness; essential. Garnish bright green onion curls, paprika dust for that pop of color. These grab&go finger foods punch above their weight in flavor. Each bite pops with garlic, a hint of heat, cool mayo; no frills, just results.
Ingredients
Garnish
- 2 green onions thin julienne, soaked in ice water 25 to 35 minutes
Lime Mayonnaise
- 65 ml mayonnaise
- 1/3 lime zest finely grated
- 12 ml lime juice fresh
Fritters
- 120 g unbleached flour all purpose
- 3 ml baking powder
- 1 ml salt
- 4 ml sweet paprika plus extra for finishing
- 0.5 ml cayenne pepper
- 1 egg
- 80 ml water cold
- 190 g thawed northern shrimp chopped roughly
- 2 green onions chopped fine
- 2 garlic cloves minced
- vegetable oil for frying enough for 5 cm depth
About the ingredients
Frozen shrimp thawed works fine but drain well to avoid watery batter. Fresh preferred but coast-friendly swap is fine. Flour needs be unbleached for better structure; bleached can turn fritters gummy. Baking powder makes them pop, no shortcut there. Paprika adds color and sweet depth, cayenne a subtle buzz; tweak to taste but start low. Onion soaking in ice water—not optional—as it traps crispness and reduces onion sharpness. Mayonnaise lime mix can be adjusted; if you prefer less tang, reduce juice and add more zest. Garlic finely minced, not crushed, for balanced savory notes without overpowering. Vegetable oil—no olive oil here; high smoke point critical to fry right. Scoop measure consistent size fritters, cooks evenly, easy to judge doneness.
Method
Garnish
- Rinse sliced green onion strips in ice water; crisp them up well. Drain thoroughly. Pat dry on clean towel or paper. This prevents sogginess later, gives crunch and freshness as bite contrast.
Lime Mayonnaise
- Mix mayonnaise with lime zest and fresh lime juice until combined. Chill in fridge until ready to serve. Adjust lime juice if too tart or weak. Acid brightens mayo, cuts richness.
Fritters
- Whisk dry: flour, baking powder, salt, paprika, cayenne in bowl. Avoid lumps so batter lifts nicely.
- Add egg beaten lightly, then cold water gradually. Stir to medium-thick consistency—too runny fritters fall apart; too stiff harder to drop into oil evenly.
- Fold in chopped shrimp, green onions, and garlic. Mix just enough to distribute evenly without overmixing; tough batter means dense fritters.
- Heat oil to 180 degrees Celsius (350 Fahrenheit). Use thermometer if you have it; oil too cool causes greasy fritters, too hot burns outsides fast.
- Line baking sheet with paper towels to drain fried fritters.
- Using tablespoon or small ice cream scoop (15 ml), drop batter balls carefully into oil, a few at a time to avoid overcrowding. Listen for consistent sizzle; adjust heat if sputtering too vigorously or oil quiet.
- Fry about 3 to 4 minutes total, flipping halfway. Golden and firm to touch signals doneness. Lift with slotted spoon; drain briefly and rest 5 minutes for residual heat soften edges just slightly.
- Arrange fritters over swirls of lime mayonnaise on serving plate. Scatter drained green onion strips on top. Optional dash paprika for color and mild extra flavor.
- Serve immediately while crisp. Leftovers lose crunch, reheat briefly in hot pan not microwave to re-crisp.
- Substitutions: For mayonnaise try Greek yogurt thickened with a bit of olive oil and lime zest for lighter dip. Shrimp can be swapped with crab or firm white fish. If you prefer spice, add chopped fresh chili instead of cayenne powder.
- Common issues: Batter too thin—add more flour slowly. Oil too cool—fritters absorb oil, soggy. Overcrowding oil—temperature drops, sticky clumps form. Patience during frying pays off for crispness.
Cooking tips
Start with ice water soak for onions as freguest step; multitask here because fritter batter and mayo prep need little rest time. Combine dry ingredients first, sift if lumpy. Whisk egg into water before adding to flour mix—helps batter smooth quickly and avoids gluten overstretch. Folding in shrimp and other small ingredients should be gentle, no heavy mixing—otherwise batter toughens ruining lightness inside. Oil heated to 180 Celsius is key; test with tiny batter drop—if it bubbles immediately and floats, ready to fry. Don’t crowd pan—fritters stick and cook unevenly. Flip half cook time, look for uniform golden. Drain well on paper towels, let rest on plate off heat five minutes—residual heat finishes. Serve quickly; wait too long and the crisp fades. If need reheat later, dry pan on medium heat revives crust. Be aware, oil temp fluctuates; adjust burner. Careful with splattering oil—never throw wet batter in. Safety first.
Chef's notes
- 💡 Onions soak long in ice water—don’t skip. Pull crunch and pulls sharpness out. Dry fully on towel or paper—wet bits kill crisp. Improves texture contrast. Saves fritters from soggy flop, trust timing here, 25-35 min works but longer sharpens snap.
- 💡 Oil temp matters, steady at 180 Celsius. If cooler fritters soak oil, soggy, limp mess. Too hot, outsides burn fast but inside stays raw. Tiny batter drop test—bubble float quick means ready. Adjust heat fast if sizzle sputters or oil hushes.
- 💡 Dry mix first: flour, powder, salt, paprika, cayenne. Whisk well to avoid lumps. Add beaten egg, then cold water slow. Medium thick batter best; thin falls apart, thick becomes dense. Stir gentle folding shrimp, green onion, garlic—overmix means heavy tough bites.
- 💡 Use scoop or tablespoon same size each time. Uniform fritter = even cook time and crisp. Drop carefully to avoid splatter. Crowding drops oil temp, fritters stick and clump. Fry a few at once with space.
- 💡 Rest fried fritters off heat 5 minutes on towel. Residual heat softens edges slightly, finishing cook inside. Serve soon after. Reheat dry pan medium if needed but avoid microwaves. Crisp fades fast after frying, handle with care.
Common questions
How to keep fritters crisp?
Drain onions well after ice soak. Drain fritters on paper towel to lose oil. Rest off heat a few minutes helps edges firm but don’t wait too long or fritters soften quick. Reheat in pan for bounce back. Avoid fridge or microwave heating drying.
Can I swap shrimp for crab or fish?
Yes, crab works but texture lighter, less smoky. Firm white fish possible too, chop fine to mimic shrimp size. Adjust seasoning, cayenne for spice. Watch frying times; fish may cook faster or flake apart easier.
Batter too thin or thick, what now?
Too thin equals fragile fritters that break in oil. Add flour bit by bit and try again for thicker hold. Thick batter drops messily, denser texture, more bite effort. Find medium-thick by stirring slowly. Use cold water for control.
Best storage for leftovers?
Store fritters airtight. Fridge for 24 hours tops, crisp fades fast. Reheat on dry pan medium heat; regains crunch somewhat. Freezing not recommended—adds sogginess on thaw. Onion garnish best fresh, lime mayo keeps fridge a day, stir well before serving.
