Crispy corn and herb fritters from Manado, North Sulawesi — sweet, spicy, and impossibly addictive.
Perkedel goreng in the Manadonese tradition of North Sulawesi diverges from the potato-based perkedel of Java and instead celebrates fresh sweet corn ground into a coarse batter with sliced scallions, chili, and sometimes basil kemangi. The fritters are patted thin and fried in shallow oil until crispy at the edges with a slightly chewy, sweet center that celebrates the corn's natural sugars. Manado cooking is famous for its bold heat and use of fresh aromatics, and these fritters capture that spirit perfectly — they're typically served with the fiery Manadonese sambal dabu-dabu (a fresh tomato and chili relish) that cuts through the richness of the fried batter. Across Indonesia, perkedel goreng with corn is called bakwan jagung in Java, but the Manadonese version is thinner, crisper, and typically spicier. Street vendors sell them hot from portable woks to workers seeking a satisfying mid-morning snack.
Serves 4
Using the back of your knife, scrape the corn cobs a second time after cutting to extract the 'milk.' Roughly crush about half the kernels with a pestle or pulse briefly in a food processor — this helps bind the batter.
Combine corn (whole and crushed), flour, rice flour, egg, scallions, chilies, garlic, lemongrass, salt, and pepper. Mix until a cohesive batter forms. Fold in basil. The batter should be thick enough to hold a shape on a spoon.
Pour oil into a wide frying pan to a depth of 1 cm. Heat to 175°C over medium heat.
Drop heaped tablespoons of batter into the oil, pressing lightly with the back of the spoon to form flat patties. Fry 3–4 minutes per side until deep golden and cooked through.
Do not flip until a visible crust has formed or they'll fall apart.
Drain on a wire rack. Serve immediately with sambal dabu-dabu or sweet chili sauce.
Crushing some kernels is the key technique — it releases starch that binds the batter without needing extra flour.
Kemangi (lemon basil) has a distinct anise-citrus flavor that regular basil doesn't replicate; Thai basil is a closer substitute.
Fresh corn produces far sweeter fritters than canned corn — the difference is pronounced.
Bakwan jagung (Javanese style): use more flour for a thicker, doughier fritter and skip lemongrass.
Add 100g of small shrimp to the batter for a more substantial snack.
Cheesy version: fold in 50g grated mild cheddar for a richer, Western-influenced fritter.
Best eaten straight from the pan. Refrigerate up to 1 day; reheat in a dry non-stick pan or air-fryer at 190°C for 5 minutes to restore crispiness.
Corn (jagung) was introduced to Southeast Asia by Portuguese and Spanish traders in the 16th century and quickly adopted by Indonesian communities, particularly in the drier eastern islands where rice cultivation was more difficult. Corn fritters became a staple of North Sulawesi cuisine, where the Manadonese culinary tradition evolved separately from Javanese mainstream cooking, incorporating more fresh herbs and fiercer chili heat.
Canned corn works in a pinch — drain and pat dry thoroughly. Frozen corn should be thawed and dried. Both lack the sweetness and milkiness of fresh corn, so the fritters will be less flavorful.
Kemangi is Indonesian lemon basil, with a flavor closer to lemon verbena and sweet basil combined. Thai basil is the closest available substitute in Western grocery stores.
The batter is too wet, or the oil wasn't hot enough when you added the fritters. Ensure half the corn kernels are crushed to release their starch, and wait for the oil to reach 175°C before frying.
Per serving (130g / 4.6 oz) · 4 servings total
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