Savory Batters: Brussels Sprout Fritters

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Well this is an exciting first! Ladies and Gentlemen, the first Batter Matters savory post! I'm especially excited to share this with the Internets because I do way more savory experimentation in the kitchen then I do sweet, but sadly none of them have ever fallen under the category of batter or dough. Until FRITTERS. Why didn't I think of this before?

These were inspired by a recipe featured on TheKitchn that originally called for a couple eggs, goat cheese and Parmesan. I didn't have any of those things, and frankly didn't need them. After an initial  attempt to keep these fritters together with a hodge podge of tofu, oil, panko, and soy flour, I decided to start from scratch and try a more simplistic approach. One of my favorite ways to eat brussels sprouts is roasted with a smattering of tamari and olive oil. So with that flavor palette in mind, I added garlic, ginger, and a touch of lemon juice to round out this Asian Fusion style fritter. I ate mine with Tahini Sauce (a la Trader Joe's), but I bet a mixture of vegenaise and sriracha would be delicious as well.

Asian Fusion Brussels Sprout Fritters

Ingredients
1 tsp minced ginger
2 cloves minced garlic
1-2 shallots, thinly sliced
2 c. shredded or thinly sliced brussels sprouts
1 tsp tamari
½ tsp lemon juice
6 TBSP soy flour + 6 TBSP water, whisked to form a loose paste

In a large bowl toss together the shredded brussels sprouts and shallots. In a small cup combine the garlic, ginger, tamari, and lemon juice, then drizzle this mixture over the shredded veggies, making sure things are evenly coated.

Whisk together the soy flour and water to combine a paste, dump it on top of your brussels sprout mixture, roll up your sleeves and start mixing everything together with your hands. This part is really important for keeping your fritter batter together when these cook, so make sure you keep gathering loose veggie shreds from the bottom of the bowl so that everything is incorporated. Let the batter sit while you prepare your pan.

Pour enough oil into a (preferably) cast iron pan to totally cover the bottom. I used sunflower seed oil, because it has a higher smoking point. Heat the oil at medium high--it's ready to be used when you flick a little water in there and the droplets dance across the pan.

Carefully form your fritters, making sure that they're no more than ½ an inch thick. Gently place them in the oil and cook until browned on both sides. [I found that these flipped more easily if I used a plastic spatula rather than my silicone, because it allowed me to scrape the crunchy bits off the pan.]

 When the fritters are done, carefully remove them from the pan and place them onto a double layer of paper towels for about a minute to sop up any excess oil. Plate, drizzle with your preferred sauce, and enjoy!