Moroccan · Street food
Larache Shrimp Fritters
Larache, at the mouth of the Loukkos, is known for its tiny sweet shrimp, and the town fries them into crisp golden fritters — a chickpea-and-flour batter studded with whole small shrimp, herbs and onion, spooned into hot oil and fried until lacy and crunchy. Eaten hot with lemon, they are a classic of the northern Atlantic coast.
- Prep
- 20 min
- Cook
- 20 min
- Total
- 40 min
- Serves
- 5
- Level
- Medium
Ingredients
- 300 g small peeled shrimp
- 120 g chickpea flour
- 80 g plain flour
- 1 onion, finely chopped
- 1 small bunch coriander and parsley, chopped
- 1 tsp cumin, 1/2 tsp paprika, 1/4 tsp cayenne
- About 200 ml water and 1/2 tsp baking powder
- Salt, oil for frying and lemon to serve
Method
- 1
Make the batter
Whisk the chickpea flour, plain flour, baking powder, cumin, paprika, cayenne and salt with enough water to a thick, spoonable batter.
- 2
Fold in
Stir the shrimp, onion and chopped herbs through the batter.
- 3
Rest
Let the batter rest 10 minutes so the flours hydrate and the fritters fry light.
- 4
Fry
Drop spoonfuls into hot oil and fry, turning, until deep golden and crisp all over.
- 5
Serve
Drain on paper, salt lightly and serve hot with lemon.
Chef's tips
- Keep the batter thick enough to hold the shrimp together in a craggy fritter.
- A little chickpea flour gives a nuttier flavour and crisper edge than plain flour alone.
- Fry in hot oil in small batches so the fritters crisp fast without soaking up grease.
Frequently asked questions
Can I use larger prawns?
Yes; chop larger prawns into small pieces so they cook through in the time the batter takes to crisp, keeping the fritters bite-sized.
Are these like Spanish tortillitas?
They are close cousins across the strait — the northern Moroccan coast shares this chickpea-battered shrimp fritter tradition with nearby Andalusia.