Salt Phish Fritters
Growing up, it was such a treat to come home from school to hot saltfish fritters coming right out of the oil! My siblings and I ate them so fast, sometimes we forgot to leave some back for mom. She later told us that she would eat her share before we arrived...clever!
These fritters are a staple in Jamaican households, and I would not be surprised if other islands make them as well. To make a vegan version, the saltfish is replaced with hearts of palm that magically have the same color and a similar texture as saltfish. The sea flavors come bursting right through these fritters thanks to a secret ingredient: seaweed flakes.
Yields4 Servings
Ingredients
- 2 (14-ounces [400-g]) cans of hearts of palm
- 1 1/2 cup (270 g) all-purpose flour
- 1 tablespoon (14 g) baking powder
- 2 teaspoon all-purpose seasoning
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
- 1 (½-ounce [15-g]) snack-sized packet roasted seaweed flakes
- 1/4 teaspoon chili powder
- 1/2 cup (70 g) green bell pepper, diced
- 1/2 Scotch bonnet or habanero pepper, minced
- 1/2 cup (60 g) chopped onion
- 1 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves, removed from the stems
- 1 small tomato, diced
- Just enough water to form a chunky batter
- High-heat cooking oil, for frying and coating a large spoon so the batter does not stick to it
INSTRUCTIONS
-
Remove the hearts of palm from the can. With the help of the handle of a cutting knife, bash each heart of palm until they split open entirely, then roughly chop them and set them aside.
-
In a large mixing bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, all-purpose seasoning, black pepper, seaweed flakes, chili powder, bell pepper, Scotch bonnet pepper, onion, fresh thyme, tomato and the chopped hearts of palm.
-
Mix in just enough water to form a chunky batter.
-
Heat enough oil for deep frying to around the temperature mark of 330°F (165°C), which should give the interior of the fritter enough time to cook. Oil that is too hot will crisp the outside but not cook the inside.
-
Coat a large metal spoon in oil, then scoop big bite-sized amounts of the batter, about ¼ cup (60 ml), and deep fry the scoops in hot oil until all the sides are golden, about 3 to 5 minutes.
Credit Line:
Reprinted with permission from Island Vegan by Lloyd Rose. Page Street Publishing Co. 2024. Photo credit: Shanika Graham-White.