Description
A huge lined-up sweet at Taichung Fengyuan Night Market, where the white flesh of the aquatic 'Water Caltrop' (a black shell shaped like a bat) is battered sweet and deep-fried round without skewers.
Restaurants serving Fried Water Caltrop Crisp
Researching
We are researching restaurants that serve this dish.
On this site you can check dictionary details and, later, places to buy or eat related items.
The Recipe section below is a general reference, not a recipe from the listed shops.
Recipe
Ingredients
- Lingjiao(Water caltrop flesh)
- Flour
- Sugar
- Egg
- Baking powder
- Frying oil
Instructions
- [Authentic Recipe]
- [Water Caltrop Prep] Salt-boil Taiwan's specialty 'Lingjiao' (Water Caltrop. Aquatic plant with a fluffy texture resembling chestnuts/sweet potatoes).
- Crack the pitch-black hard shell with pliers/scissors, cleanly extract the white flesh (thumb-sized) without crushing.
- [Special Batter] Dissolve flour, egg, generous sugar, baking powder, and water into a thick, sweet batter like corn dog/pancake mix.
- Pierce one caltrop flesh with a toothpick, dip heavily in the batter.
- Slip it smoothly off the toothpick into 170°C oil (fry as round balls, not as skewers).
- Fry until the batter puffs up round and large, becoming a crispy golden fritter. Serve in a paper bag.
Learn more Spice, substitutes, tips
Key spices
Sweet batter aroma
Substitutes at Japanese supermarkets
Peeled sweet roasted chestnuts or diced sweet potatoes
Pairing
Taiwan Tea or refreshing juice
Trivia
[For Everyone] The absolute specialty always creating long lines at the entrance of Taichung Fengyuan's 'Miaodong Night Market'. Water caltrops are a popular autumn flavor in Taiwan, often sold boiled off the back of trucks.
Eating tips & etiquette
[Unique Eating] Pierce the hot balls with a bamboo skewer, enjoying the harmony of the fluffy sweet batter and the natural sweetness of the 'chestnut-like fluffy' Lingjiao appearing from inside!
Allergen
Wheat, Egg, Soy (frying oil)