Tasty Taro Fritters - Frituras de Malanga

One day last week, after a very busy work day Kishore came home plopped on the couch and asked me if we had any snacks. I had to be the unfortunate bearer of bad news...we didn't have any more of his favorite chips. So I offered to make him something instead. He said ok rather begrudgingly with one stipulation it had to be...

 and I quote "Crunchy, Crunchy."

So after rooting around the kitchen to find something to cook, I remembered I had some Taro in the back room that I was planning to use for chips. Let's face it as much as I like TerraChips they are way to expensive and half the bag is empty. Anyway that's when the idea came to me...

Lightbulb! I can make Taro fritters! 

This recipe is based off a snack I had in a Cuban restaurant in Miami, on the menu it was called 'Frituras de Malanga' and came with an oil based red Mojo sauce... So tasty my mouth is watering just thinking about it! 

These are the perfect snack food when you're craving something crunchy, and salty, with a little (or a lot) of spice. I like to make mine spicy and pair it with a cooling yogurt cucumber sauce. To tell you the truth the sauce is complementary to the fritters, but it's not a necessity; they can stand on there own. :)

Here's my Recipe for Tasty Taro Fritters- Frituras de Malanga

Serves 3-4 

Makes 12  1" inch fritters

Ingredients

3 Taro roots (approx. 1 lb)

1Tblsp finely grated ginger root

2 Tblsp Water Chestnut Powder *

1 tsp Himalyan Pink Salt

11/2- 2 tsp Chili Powder

Vegetable Oil

* If you have trouble finding Water Chestnut Powder you can also use Corn Starch, Tapioca Flour, or Rice Flour.

Directions

1. Skin the Taro Roots, rinse them and pat them dry. Shred them and shred the ginger root.
2. Mix the shredded Taro in a bowl with the shredded ginger, salt, chili powder, and water chestnut powder. Make sure to mix well so all ingredients are incorporated and blended evenly.

3. Heat a frying pan with approximately 1/2" inch of vegetable oil. You want the oil medium hot.
4. While the oil is heating up; use a table spoon to scoop some of the taro mixture into your hand.

5. Use your hands to shape it into a ball. If the ball doesn't retain it's shape then add a little more water chestnut powder to the mix and try shaping again.

6. After you've finished making the balls, slowly place them into the medium hot oil and allow them to cook for about 5 minutes making sure to turn them once.

7. Once they are golden brown, remove them from the oil and allow them to drain on paper towels.

Serve them while they're hot!

For the cucumber sauce: 

Blend together a 1/2 cup yogurt, 1 small cucumber and add salt and pepper to taste. 

Enjoy!