Carolina Gold Rice Fritters with Dates and Curried Honey

Ron Eyester

Rosebud - Atlanta

These delicious fritters, made with a Southern heirloom rice, are accompanied by a spicy honey-based dipping sauce.

Yield

about 16 fritters

Ingredients

Carolina Gold Rice Fritters:
1 1/2 cups cooked Carolina gold rice
3/4 cup all-purpose flour
3 egg yolks
Juice and zest of 1/2 a lemon
1 cup chopped dates
1 1/2 teaspoons chopped shallots
1/2 teaspoon chopped sage
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
Salt and pepper to taste
Tabasco sauce to taste

Curried Honey:
1/2 cup honey
1 1/2 teaspoon rice vinegar
1/2 teaspoon red curry paste
1/2 teaspoon crushed pink peppercorns
Zest of 1/2 an orange
Small pinch coarse sea salt

Breading:
1/2 cup flour
Salt and pepper
1 /2 cup milk
1 egg
1 cup fine bread crumbs

Canola oil for frying

Method

To make the fritters, mix together the rice, flour, egg yolks, lemon juice, lemon zest, dates, shallots, sage, and baking powder in a large mixing bowl. Season with salt, pepper, and Tabasco sauce. Chill the mixture in the refrigerator for at least 2 hours.

While the rice mixture chills, make the curried honey: combine the honey, rice vinegar, red curry paste, pink peppercorns, and orange zest in a small sauce pot. Bring to a simmer over medium heat; continue simmering for another 10 to 15 minutes, until thickened, like a loose jam. Season with salt. Let the honey cool while you complete the rice fritters.

Using your hands, take 2 tablespoons of the rice mixture and form into a ball. Repeat until you’ve used up all of the mixture. Place the balls on a cookie sheet or large plate. Freeze for 30 minutes.

Prepare for dredging: season the flour with salt and pepper; spread out the mixture on a large plate. In a small bowl, mix together the milk and egg. Season the bread crumbs with salt and pepper; spread out the mixture on a large plate. Remove the rice balls from the freezer. Coat each ball in the seasoned flour, then dip in the egg wash. Coat in the seasoned bread crumbs.

Pour about 3 inches of oil into a heavy-bottomed pot and heat to 350ºF. Working in batches, carefully fry the fritters until deep golden brown, about 3 to 4 minutes. Remove from the oil with a slotted spoon and place on a paper towel–lined plate. Serve immediately with curried honey on the side for dipping.  


https://www.jamesbeard.org/recipes/carolina-gold-rice-fritters-with-dates-and-curried-honey