Palauan Ulkoy Shrimp Fritters Recipe

Palauan Ulkoy are delicious, deep fried fritters, made with squash, shrimp, and special zesty seasonings. They are a national favorite in Palau, and a real treat for tourists, too.

(Photo Attributed to Author: ProjectManhattan)

Palauan Ulkoy Recipe-

Ingredients:

1/2 lb. medium to large sized shrimp (prawns) peeled, deveined, and chopped into 1/4″ cubes
1 tsp. Creole seasoning (plus more for dusting fritters)
2 tbsp. salted butter
1/2 cup chopped white or yellow onions
3 large eggs, whisked until frothy
1-1/2 cups whole milk
1 tbsp. baking powder
1-1/2 teaspoons salt (plus a little more, to taste, see directions below)
1/2 tsp. ground cayenne pepper
4 cups all-purpose flour
2 tbsp. chopped fresh parsley leaves
1 lb. summer squash, peeled and grated
pure peanut oil, for deep-frying

Directions:

Lightly season the shrimp with the Creole seasoning and set aside for now.
Melt the butter in a medium sized skillet over medium-high heat. Add in the onions and sauté, stirring, for 2 to 3 minutes, until soft, translucent, and fragrant.
Add in the shrimp pieces and just a dash of salt (or to taste, but over-salting will ruin the finished product); continue cooking, stirring, for another 2 to 3 minutes, until the shrimp turns pink. Set aside for now, allowing to cool.
In a deep fryer or a large cooking pot, heat the oil to 360 degrees Fahrenheit.
While the oil is heating up, make the batter. Whisk the milk, baking powder, salt, and cayenne together with the eggs.
Now add and stir in the flour, just 1/4 cup at a time, beating and incorporating until all the flour is in the mixture and you have a nice, smooth batter.
Add and stir in the chopped parsley.
Next, add and stir in the shrimp mixture, then the grated summer squash. Fold the batter together gently until fully mixed.
Use a large ladle to scoop up portions of the batter, and carefully lower them into the hot oil.
The cooking fritters will pop to the surface. When they do, use a slotted cooking spoon to roll them in the oil so that they will brown them evenly. Keep cooking until they are a nice, golden brown all over – about 3 minutes should do it.
Remove the cooked fritters from the oil with a slotted spoon, and place on a paper-towel-lined tray to drain.
Serve your Palauan Ulkoy while still nice and hot, with some Creole seasoning on the table for people to dust on to their own tastes.