Lemon Curry Corn Fritters

Ingredients for the curry Paste:

3 tablespoons mild yellow curry powder 1 lemon, zested 1 tablespoon sugar Pinch salt

For an easier recipe, substitute all of the ingredients to the left with 4 tablespoons Vietnamese Sweet Lemon Curry. You will need to purchase 2 ounces to ensure enough for therecipe.

3 tablespoons olive oil
3 tablespoons water

Ingredients for the corn mixture:
1 (16-ounce) bag frozen whole corn kernels, thawed
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 shallot, diced
8 slices pancetta, diced

Ingredients for the fritters:
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
2 tablespoons soy sauce
2 eggs
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
4 scallions, cut into 1/8-inch rounds
Vegetable oil, for shallow frying

Directions:
In a small bowl, mix all the ingredients for the curry paste together until smooth and set aside.

Cook the whole corn kernels according to bag directions. Drain the water and set aside.

Coat a large saute pan with olive oil and heat over a medium-high heat. Add the corn, shallots and pancetta and saute for 4 to 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Pancetta should be lightly cooked, but not crispy. Remove from the pan and set aside to cool. In a medium bowl, mix the flour, reserved curry paste, soy sauce, eggs and salt and pepper. Stir in the corn mixture and the scallions. If the batter is a little dry, add a touch of water until you get a smooth consistency.

In a large frying pan heat enough vegetable oil (about a 1/8-inch) for shallow frying, over medium-high heat. When the oil is hot, (the oil is ready when you drop in a tiny bit of batter and it sizzles immediately) put a large tablespoon or so of the batter carefully into the oil and lightly press flat. Add about 4 more tablespoons, being sure to leave enough space in between each for easy turning. Fry until golden, about 1 1/2 to 2 minutes on each side. Remove the fritters with a slotted spatula to a paper towel lined plate. Pat dry with another paper towel and cover to keep them warm. Repeat until all of the batter is cooked.

Arrange the fritters on a serving platter and serve.

Yields: about 20 fritters

Thanks to: Janet Johnston, Savory Spice Shop co-founder and host of Food Network's Spice & Easy.