Banh Tom Ho Tay (Shrimp and Sweet Potato Fritters), Made with Monk Fruit Sweetener
Vietnamese dishesSnacksNorthern Vietnam50 minutes preparation, 20 minutes frying, not counting 1.5 to 2 hours soaking the sweet potato
Banh tom Ho Tay is about a shell that shatters at the first bite, with sweet strands of sweet potato wrapped around a bright red shrimp. The hardest part is the oil, hot enough for a crisp fritter that does not turn greasy.
Shredded sweet potato soaks in salted water for 1.5 to 2 hours and is then shaken completely dry before it meets the batter, which keeps the fritters from weeping in the pan. The shrimp stay in their shells, so they cook just through and never dry out.
This batch weighs about 2.2kg, at roughly 172 calories per 100g.
Method
Peel the sweet potatoes, rinse them and shred them finely. Soak the shreds in salted water made from 700ml water and 10g salt for 1.5 to 2 hours.
Leave the shrimp in their shells, trim the whiskers and sharp points, rinse, shake dry and season with 1 teaspoon salt and 1g garlic powder.
Mix the dipping sauce: dissolve 25g kOBE Monk Fruit Blend in 15 to 18ml lime juice and 175ml water, then add 15 to 20ml fish sauce a little at a time, stirring until the balance is right.
Make the pickled vegetables: peel the green papaya and carrot and slice them thinly. Rub the papaya with 4 to 5g salt for a few minutes, rinse and shake dry. Toss the papaya and carrot with 20g kOBE Monk Fruit Blend, leave for 30 minutes, then add 10ml lime juice and 2 to 3g salt.
Thirty minutes before frying, mix 100g all purpose flour, 100g rice flour, 100g tapioca starch, 1 teaspoon salt, 1g garlic powder, 1g onion powder, 2g baking powder and 1g turmeric powder. Add 260 to 300ml water a little at a time until the batter is very thick, then rest it for 30 minutes.
Tip the sweet potato into a colander, shake it completely dry and fold it through the batter.
Heat the oil over medium heat in a deep pan. Spoon a portion of batter and sweet potato onto a large ladle, set 1 to 2 shrimp in the middle, then lower it into the oil and fry until golden and crisp.
Lift the fritters onto paper towels and serve hot with the dipping sauce, pickled vegetables and fresh greens.
Tips
Toss the papaya and carrot with the kOBE Monk Fruit Blend 30 minutes ahead and season with the sour and salty part after, and the pickle stays crisp rather than leathery.
Leave the shells on the shrimp while frying, as the shell keeps the flesh just cooked and not dry.
Soak the sweet potato for a full hour and a half to draw out the starch, since skipping this darkens the strands and makes the batter clump.
Shake the sweet potato completely dry before mixing it into the batter, as any water keeps the fritter from crisping.
Deep fry over medium heat, drain on paper towels and eat them hot straight away.
Need kOBE Monk Fruit Blend?
The recipe above is sweetened with kOBE Monk Fruit Blend, measured 1:1 like sugar. See the product page or send us a message.