Guamanian Shrimp Patties

About This Recipe

These crispy patties are a popular street snack on Guam made with minced shrimp held together with a light batter. They are quick to fry and intensely savory. This guamanian shrimp patties is shaped by the home cooks who refined it across generations, balancing tradition with everyday practicality. Small bites with outsized payoff: crisp edges, soft centers, that addictive savory pull. Home cooks return to it because the technique is forgiving once the order of operations clicks: build aromatics first, season in layers, and let time do the heavy lifting. The result lands somewhere between everyday and special — humble enough for a weeknight, generous enough for company.

Ingredients

Serves 4

• 400 graw shrimp(peeled, deveined, minced)
• 3 stalksgreen onion(chopped)
• 2 clovesgarlic(minced)
• 1 largeegg
• 3 tbspall-purpose flour
• 1 cupvegetable oil(for frying)

Instructions

1. 1

   Mix batter

   Combine minced shrimp, green onion, garlic, egg, flour, salt and pepper in a bowl and stir until a thick paste forms.

2. 2

   Shape patties

   Scoop about 2 tablespoons of mixture and form into small flat rounds about 1 cm thick.

3. 3

   Fry

   Heat oil in a skillet over medium-high heat. Fry patties 3 minutes per side until deep golden and cooked through.

   Don't overcrowd the pan.

4. 4

   Drain and serve

   Drain on paper towels and serve immediately with finadene or soy-calamansi dipping sauce.

Variations

• •

  Add minced lemongrass for a fragrant twist.

• •

  Mix in shredded zucchini to bulk up the patties.

• •

  Vegetarian: swap the protein for roasted king oyster mushrooms, smoked tofu or cooked chickpeas — adjust seasoning slightly upward to compensate.

• •

  Spicier: add a finely chopped fresh chile or a teaspoon of crushed Aleppo/Urfa pepper to the aromatics for warm, layered heat instead of a single sharp hit.

Storage

Refrigerate cooked patties up to 2 days. Re-crisp in an air fryer at 180°C for 3 minutes.

Frequently Asked Questions