today is May 22, 2022
Bakwan (Indonesian fritters) is a popular snack and side dish consumed in Indonesia. The most basic one is made with a mixture of cabbage and carrot, though shrimp and corn are also popular choices.
This recipe for bakwan jamur is using white button mushrooms as the main ingredient. It is a very unusual choice, but I love the result. Mushroom is a very meaty vegetable, and this can serve as a main dish for vegetarians.
Another difference between this recipe and other typical bakwan recipes is that I choose pan frying instead of deep-frying. I think the pan-frying version tastes just as good, so this can be a great option when I don’t feel like deep-frying. If you want a more authentic and traditional approach, stick to deep frying, otherwise, feel free to pan fry :)
We will need button mushrooms, garlic, scallions, bell pepper (or red/green chilies), all-purpose flour, rice flour, eggs, coriander, salt, sugar, and white pepper.
Mushrooms
You can use either white or brown button mushrooms. You can even use oyster mushroom if that’s what you have.
Bell pepper vs. chilies
If you are planning to serve these to people who can tolerate plenty of heat from chilies, feel free to use red/green chilies instead of bell pepper. I usually use Fresno or jalapeno since these are rather mild, and more people will be able to enjoy the fritters.
Rice flour is optional
Rice flour makes the fritters crispier. If you don’t have rice flour at home, you can replace it with the same amount of all-purpose flour.
If you prefer super crispy fritters, feel free to use a mix of 50% all-purpose flour and 50% rice flour.
1. Prepare the batter
In a mixing bowl, combine all-purpose flour, rice flour, eggs, coriander, salt, sugar, white pepper, and water into a thick paste.
Add thinly sliced mushrooms, minced garlic, thinly sliced scallions, and diced bell pepper to the batter. Stir with a spatula until well mixed.
2. Fry the fritters
Heat 3 tablespoon oil in a skillet/frying pan on medium heat. Drop ladleful of mushroom batter into the frying pan, cook until both sides are golden brown, about 2 to 3 minutes per side. Repeat until the batter is used up.
You can serve mushroom fritters as a snack, or as a side dish with steamed rice. Most street food sellers in Indonesia will serve their freshly fried fritters with a handful of raw bird-eye chilies. I usually eat these plain, though some people also love dipping them in chili sauce.
Store any leftovers in an airtight container for up to a week. It is best if you can reheat them either by lightly frying them in a frying pan or with an oven toaster for about 5 minutes. Please avoid reheating in a microwave since, or the fritters will lose their crispiness.
