Chew: Hush Puppies with Sweet Chili Sauce

By pavaldez

Best served alongside a piece of fried catfish, hush puppies are deep-fried bites typical in the South.

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup Honey
• 1 tablespoon Sambal; Chili sauce
• 2 cups Yellow Cornmeal
• 1 cup All-Purpose Flour
• 1 teaspoon Baking Powder
• 1/2 teaspoon Baking Soda
• 3/4 teaspoon Kosher Salt
• 1/4 teaspoon Paprika
• 1/4 teaspoon Cracked Black Pepper
• 1 pinch Cayenne Pepper
• 1 large Onion; finely diced
• 2 Eggs; separated
• 1 cup Buttermilk
• 2 Cloves Garlic; minced
• 2 tablespoons Bacon Fat; melted
• Vegetable Oil; for frying

Details

Preparation time 15mins
Cooking time 20mins

Preparation

Step 1

Heat Honey over low in a non-stick pan. Add Chili Sauce and stir to combine. Keep Honey warm until ready to serve.

In a large bowl, whisk together the dry ingredients until evenly distributed. Stir in Onion to coat.

In another bowl, whisk together the remaining ingredients excluding the Egg Whites. Pour into the dry mix and stir to form batter, making sure not to over mix.


Whip the Egg Whites in a clean bowl until stiff peaks hold. Gently fold into the batter just until incorporated, some streaks may be visible.

Using spoons, fry rounded teaspoons of batter for 3-4 minutes, or until golden. Work in batches to avoid overcrowding pot.

Drain onto a paper towel-lined plate and immediately sprinkle with Salt.

Serve with a drizzle of warm Sweet Chili Sauce.

Helpful Tips:
1. The dry mix should be two to one, cornmeal to flour.
2. Don’t be afraid to eyeball the mixture and add in liquid if you need it.
3. Dip your spoon in the oil first so the dough doesn’t stick to the spoon.