Spicy Corn Fritters

Zesty, Spicy Corn Fritters! Served with a sweet chili dipping sauce. These are so addictive, you won't be able to stop eating them!

By
Elise Bauer
Elise Bauer
Elise Bauer
Elise founded Simply Recipes in 2003 and led the site until 2019. She has an MA in Food Research from Stanford University.
Learn about Simply Recipes' Editorial Process
Updated February 15, 2021
Elise Bauer
Spicy Corn Fritters
Elise Bauer

What would be your dream diet? You know, the diet in which you could really eat anything you wanted, and as much as you wanted?

If you asked me at dinner tonight, I would have to say, spicy corn fritters.

Yep, the corn fritter diet. (Haven't you heard of it?) Just pile 'em on.

One bite of freshly made fritters made with farm fresh corn, dipped in a sweet chili sauce, and nothing else seems even remotely appealing.

Of course, a few weeks of nothing but corn fritters and you're on the road to pellagra, but one can dream, can't one?

Best Corn Fritters
Elise Bauer

This recipe is barely adapted from a corn fritter recipe by Australian chef Bill Granger, found on The Wednesday Chef.

Spicy Corn Fritters

Prep Time 15 mins
Cook Time 25 mins
Total Time 40 mins
Servings 16 fritters

Ingredients

  • Dipping Sauce
  • 3/4 cup rice vinegar
  • 1/2 cup sugar
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons red chili pepper flakes
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons salt
  • 1 large clove garlic, minced
  • Fritters
  • 1 cup flour
  • 1/4 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1 teaspoon ground coriander
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
  • 1 egg, lightly beaten
  • 1 teaspoon lemon juice
  • 1/2 cup water
  • 2 cups of corn kernels, (see steps for cutting corn from a cob) cut from 3 large cobs (or frozen corn, defrost and drain first)
  • 4 large scallions or green onions, finely sliced (about half a cup)
  • 1/4 cup chopped cilantro
  • Extra virgin olive oil or peanut oil for frying

Method

  1. Make dipping sauce:

    Combine all of the sauce ingredients into a small saucepan. Cook on medium heat, stirring with a wooden spoon, until sugar dissolves. Increase the heat to medium high, let boil for 5-10 minutes or so, until the mixture becomes somewhat syrupy.

    Remove from heat and let cool. The sauce should continue to thicken as it cools. If it becomes too thick, you can add a little water to it to thin it out a bit.

    make corn fritter spicy dipping sauce
    Elise Bauer
  2. Make the corn fritter batter:

    Whisk together the flour, baking powder, salt, ground coriander, and ground cumin in a medium bowl. Add egg, lemon juice and water. Stir vigorously with a wooden spoon until smooth.

    Add the corn, onions, and cilantro. Stir until just combined.

    make corn fritter batter
    Elise Bauer
    mix corn into fritter batter
    Elise Bauer
  3. Fry the corn fritters:

    Heat a large frying pan on medium high heat. Add enough oil to generously coat the bottom of the pan. When oil is hot (shimmering not smoking), spoon about 2 heaping tablespoons worth of fritter batter into the pan to form one fritter, patting it down with the back of the spoon as soon as it is in the pan. Work in batches. Leave about 1/2 inch between the fritters in the pan.

    Let cook about 2-3 minutes on each side, flipping the fritters when they are nicely browned on one side. When browned on the other side, remove the fritters to a plate lined with paper towels to absorb the excess fat.

    dollop corn fritter batter into hot pan
    Elise Bauer
    fry corn fritters
    Elise Bauer

    Add oil as needed to keep the bottom of the pan well coated. Note that the fritters will likely splatter a bit as you are cooking. So, either use a screen splatter guard, or wear long sleeved clothes while you cook.

    Serve immediately with the sweet chili dipping sauce.