The combination of corn and coconut is something that will always remind me of childhood. One of my favorite East African dishes growing up is one called makai paka. It’s basically sweet corn on the cob simmered in a creamy, coconut-based broth with turmeric, garlic, green chilies, and cilantro. The fun was in eating the corncobs; you could suck out the spicy coconut curry absorbed into the cobs, making ridiculous slurping noises. Not something I can quite get away with these days…
I wanted to see the combo in a more familiar form, something easy to eat or serve as a snack to guests. With all of the beautiful summer corn, it’s also a great way to use up any leftovers you might have sitting around. These come out surprisingly light, not overpoweringly coconut heavy, and have a sweet and savoury quality to them. The fritters work really well with a cilantro aioli or even a spicy ketchup dipping sauce. Enjoy! - aliyaleekong
—aliyaleekong
“Wow, these are so pretty!” was the immediate response from the discerning friends doubling as my tasters for this recipe. Then they went silent as they devoured every one of these flavor-bursting fritters. The fritters are light inside but crunchy and fried for that fatty curbside appeal. The chiles offer a good bite, while the coconut undertones sooth. – cheese1227 —The Editors
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