Ukoy
Deep-fried Shrimp, Sweet Potato and Squash Cakes from the Phillippines

From Time/Life's Foods of the World - Pacific and Southeast Asian Cooking, 1970

quote:

In the Phillippines, where frying and deep-frying are popular cooking techniques, fritters are a particularly favourite food. The most unusual variety are probably ukoy....[S]erve them hot - garnished, if you like, with a whole scallion....

To make about 10 cakes:

1/2 cup boiling water
10 medium-sized raw shrimp in their shells (about 21 to 25 to the pound)
1 teaspoon annatto seeds
1 teaspoon salt
1 cup flour
1 cup cornstarch
A large sweet potato (about 1/2 pound), peeled and coarsely grated
A medium-sized acorn squash, (about 3/4 pound), peeled, halved, seeded and coarsely grated
2 cups vegetable oil
1/4 cup finely-chopped green scallion tops
Garlic Sauce (below)

Combine the water, shrimp, annatto and salt in a heavy 1- to 1.5-quart saucepan and bring to a boil over high heat. (The annatto colours the shrimp a brighter pink than usual.) Reduce the heat to low and simmer for about 3 minutes, or until the shrimp are firm and pink. With a slotted spoon, transfer the shrimp to paper towels to drain and strain the cooking liquid through a sieve into a bowl. Measure the liquid, add enough water to make 1.25 cups and set aside. (Traditional Phillippine cooks prefer to leave the shrimp in their shells, but you may prefer to shell and devein them.)

In a deep bowl, combine the flour and cornstarch. Pour in the shrimp cooking liquid and beat until the liquid is absorbed. Then add the grated sweet potato and squash and beat vigorously with a spoon until the mixture is well-combined.

Pour the oil into a heavy 10- to 12-inch skillet. The oil should be about 1/2-inch deep; if necessary add more. Heat the oil until it is very hot but not smoking.

To make each cake, spoon about 1/3 cup of the vegetable mixture onto a saucer and shape it into a small, flat, round cake:



Sprinkle a teaspoon or two of the scallions on top and lightly press a shrimp into the centre. Then, holding the saucer close to the surface of the hot oil, gntly slide the ukoy into it with the aid of a spoon:



Depending on how fast you maneuver, you may be able to fry 3 or 4 ukoy at a time.

Allow each ukoy to fry for about 3 minutes, spooning the oil over each cake; then gently flip each over with a slotted spatula and continue frying for another three minutes, or until each each cake looks brown and crunchy on both sides. Regulate the heat so they cook richly and evenly without burning. As each ukoy browns, transfer it to paper towels to drain.

While they are still hot, arrange each ukoy, shrimp-side-up, on a heated platter and moisten each cake with a little of the garlic sauce. Pour the remaining sauce into a [small serving] bowl or sauceboat. Serve at once.



*Garlic Sauce

From Time/Life's Foods of the World - Pacific and Southeast Asian Cooking, 1970

Used as an accompaniment to Phillippine dishes such as fried lumpia and ukoy.

To make about 1 cup:

1 tablespoon finely-chopped garlic
1 teaspoon salt
1 cup malt or distilled white vinegar

With a mortar and pestle, or in a small bowl with the back of a spoon, crush the garlic and salt together until they become a smooth paste. Pour in the vinegar and stir vigorously with a spoon to mix the ingredients thoroughly. Serve the sauce from a bowl or a sauceboat as an accompaniment to Phillippine dishes such as fried lumpia and ukoy. Tightly covered, garlic sauce may be kept at room temperature for a day or so.