Don’t let the name Haitian Marinade fool you, this delicious Haitian recipe is not a sauce or seasoning but crispy, deep fried fritters (often with a juicy, savory filling).
This mouth-watering recipe is a staple at any Haitian’s first communion, but can be served on any day of the year as a crunchy snack or appetizer.
You won’t need to source any special ingredients, as Haitian Marinade are mostly comprised of store cupboard staples.
Then, all it takes is a quick mix and a few minutes of frying and these hot, tasty morsels will be ready to serve.
Herbs And Seasoning
A simple combination of fresh parsley or parsley flakes, salt and pepper adds the flavor that runs through the batter mix, ensuring you get a delicious herby taste with every bite. For an extra kick, you can also add in some fresh habanero chili at this stage.
To make sure it is spread evenly throughout, you may want to blend the herbs and seasoning together with a bit of water until it reaches a smooth consistency.
However, if you don’t have a blender, simply chop everything up as finely as you can.
Batter
Haitian Marinade use a basic batter mix of flour, baking powder, salt and water to which you’ll add your herbs and seasoning.
To make sure your marinade puff up nicely, you will want to give the batter a good mix to make sure all the ingredients are distributed evenly, stopping once everything is nicely combined. The mix should be close to the consistency of a thick pancake batter when you are ready to cook.
Tips For Frying Haitian Marinade
The key to deep frying anything properly is to make sure that your oil is hot enough before you start to cook.
If it is not hot enough, your food will simply absorb the oil and you’ll end up with something soggy and greasy instead of golden and crispy.
To tell if your oil is hot enough, dip the end of a wooden spoon into it. If the oil starts to bubble steadily, it is good to go.
Alternatively, you can simply add a tiny amount of batter into the oil and see how it reacts. Another tip is to not overcrowd you pan.
If you add too much in to fry at the same time, this will bring down the temperature of your oil and also give you a greasy end result.
Finally, you don’t want to make your balls of batter too big when you put them in the oil. This may cause the middle to be uncooked even if the outside looks done to perfection.
What To Serve With Haitian Marinade
Usually eaten on their own, Haitian Marinade can also be made into a meal served alongside a fresh green salad that will provide the perfect balance to the crispy batter.
You could also try it with some other classic Haitian side dishes like spicy coleslaw, rice and beans, or for a real treat, some yuca fries, or with this air fryer plantain.
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Haitian Marinade Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 Cup All-Purpose Flour
- 1 Tbsp. Parsley Flakes Or 2 Tsp. Chopped Fresh Parsley
- 1 Tsp. Kosher Salt
- ½ Tsp. Ground Black Pepper
- 1 Tbsp. Baking Powder
- 1 Tbsp. Olive Oil
- 1 Cup Water
- 1 Quart Vegetable Oil For Frying
Instructions
- Heat the vegetable oil to 350°In a large bowl, mix together the flour, parsley flakes, salt, pepper, olive oil, baking powder. Then slowly add the water in small quantities. Mix the dough in between each addition.
- Using a cookie scoop (or a small ice cream scoop), add 3-5 scoops of dough into the hot oil. Cook for 5-7 minutes (or longer if needed and depending on the size) until golden brown. Work in batches. Once the fritters are complete. Transfer the fritters into a paper toweled plate. Repeat the next batch until completed. Serve warm as a side or appetizer and enjoy.
Liz
Wow these were delicious! Mine turned out crispy because I was able to monitor the temperature of the oil with a candy thermometer that I had and even my kids loved them and enjoyed a yummy afternoon snack.
Mirlene
Thank you, Liz
MJ
Enjoyed this with a salad for lunch. So tasty and easy to make!
Qashang
Such an easy snack! I love how soft and melt-in-the-mouth they were from the inside.
Beth
These are so delicious crispy on the outside and so pillowy inside! Thanks!
Mirlene
Thank you, Beth!
Farah Nicolas
Well done!
Emily Flint
You were right, these were the perfect crunchy snack! I’m going to make these again for my next party!
Mirlene
Thank you, Emily!
Holley
What a fun and delicious recipe! Also great for parties and game day!!
Tawnie Kroll
First time making this and loved it! Thank you so much!
Mirlene
So glad to hear that. Thanks, Tawnie.
rebecca
I love how easy these are! and thanks for the great idea to use a scoop, that made it so much easier
Mirlene
Thank you, Rebecca!