corn fritter — Indonesia

Corn fritters are small fried cakes made from a batter studded with corn kernels, part of a family of dishes found across the Americas and in Indonesia, where they are known as perkedel jagung or bakwan jagung. The kernels are usually a mix of whole and lightly crushed corn, giving the fritter pockets of sweetness inside a crisp shell. In Indonesia, the fritters are reported widely as a street food and home snack, sold by gorengan vendors alongside other fried items such as tempeh and tofu fritters, and eaten at any time of day rather than tied to a single meal. To prepare them, fresh corn kernels are cut from the cob and partly crushed, then mixed with flour, a beaten egg, chopped shallot, garlic, spring onion, a little chili, and sometimes coriander leaf, into a thick batter. Spoonfuls of the mixture are dropped into hot oil and fried until the edges turn deep golden and crisp while the center stays soft with whole kernels. What distinguishes the Indonesian version from a plain corn fritter elsewhere is chiefly its seasoning: the garlic, shallot, chili, and herb mixture gives it a savory, slightly spicy character closer to a vegetable fritter than a sweet breakfast cake, and it is generally served on its own or with a dipping sauce rather than with syrup.