Crispy Vegetable Fritters(Balls)

After eating out at Black Earth, a Harbin cuisine restaurant in town . I really fell in love with their vegetable fritters dish.  I came back, put on my thinking cap and finally came up with this recipe.  The process is a bit messy though but the results -  crispy and delicious. Tasty too !  Just  Garland Chrysanthemum (Tung Ho  in cantonese ) and Coriander leaves !!!  Great finger food or can be serve as  appetizer.  For me, it is as snacks for WB and myself  LOL!  Eat and be happy ! Forget about the calories for it is Christmas...celebration for our Chirst's birth !

excepts taken from here

Garland Chrysanthemum is a healthy, edible plant native to East Asia. It is rich in chlorogenic acid (a type of hydroxycinnamic acid), carotene, flavonoids, vitamins and potassium, and can offer a multitude of health benefits. Some of the beneficial effects associated with eating garland chrysanthemum leaves include weight loss, antioxidant protection, a reduced risk of lung cancer, as well as protection against cardiovascular problems, kidney stones, cellulite, bloating and bone loss.

Garland Chrysanthemum has a slightly mustardy flavor and a crispy texture, and it is used broadly in Korean, Cantonese and Japanese cuisines where it is often used to flavor soups, stews, hot pots (such as sukiyaki and nabeomono), stir-fries and casserole dishes. On Crete, the largest Greek island, the tender shoots of Mantilida, a variety of garland chrysanthemum, are commonly eaten raw or steamed. If you are planning to add this healthy green leafy vegetbale to your diet, make sure you don't overcook it; this helps maximize the health benefits of this highly nutritious vegetable and keep its delicate structure intact.

Wow...with so much of health benefits, it will be good to add to our meal..don't you think so

gosh...looking at this picture makes me crave for more...so yummy good

soak, clean and drip dry the garland chrysanthemum and coriander leaves

once they are dry ( with a bit of moistness ), chopped them fine

put the chopped veggies into a mixing bowl.  meanwhile. mix together

 the rice flour, potato flour, sea salt, and paprika , mixed herbs till well combine

pour the flour mixture into the chopped veggie and mix well

using the thumb and fingers, try to shape the chopped veggie into a ball ( quite hard )

coat the round ball with rice flour.. slowly place the coated veggie ball onto a greased

laddle ( steamboat ladle with holes)  and slowly lower the ladle onto very hot oil

and leave it to cook...once the balls is crispy on the bottom side,

 the ball will automatically leave and float away from the ladle.  Looks simple

but can be messy but the result is rewarding

Crispy Vegetable Fritters /Balls  - WB Kitchen

Ingredients

a bunch of garland chrysanthemum  ( Tung  Ho ) - soak , rinse and drip off excess water - chopped fine
a bunch of coriander - soak , rinse and drip dry - chopped fine

flour mixture

3/4 cup of rice flour
1/2 cup of potato flour
sea salt ( to taste )
a tbsp of paprika
a tsp of mixed herb seasoning

Vegetable oil - for deep drying

Method:

Heat up a deep pan with cooking oil . Amount should cover the veggie balls during the deep frying.

Combine the chopped garland chrysanthemum /coriander ( should be a bit wet not totally dry  )together in a mixing bowl.  Add in the flour mixture and using a spatula, mix the chopped veggies and flour together till well mix together.  Shaped the veggie into a round ball. Coat the veggie ball with extra rice flour. Place the ball on a greased steamboat ladle with holes and slowly lower on the hot oil.  When the bottom part of the veggie balls is crisps, it will automatically leave the ladle and float up.  Once the balls is golden, take out and drain off excess oil on kitchen paper.  Continue the process till all the veggie mixture is used up.

Note: If the balls are well fried, the crispness will keep for a few hours .

Enjoy !