Conch Fritters

Nutrition · per serving

Steps

1. 1

   Finely chop the conch into very small pieces, about the size of peas or smaller, so it stays tender in the fritters. Very finely dice the bell pepper and celery, slice the spring onion, mince the scotch bonnet and garlic, and pick the thyme leaves.

   200 g conch, cleaned and finely chopped60 g bell pepper, very finely diced40 g celery, very finely diced30 g spring onion, finely sliced5 g scotch bonnet, very finely minced1 clove garlic, minced2 g fresh thyme leaves
2. 2

   Make the dip by stirring the mayonnaise, hot sauce, and lime juice together in a small bowl until smooth. Taste and adjust with a little more hot sauce if you want more heat, then set aside.

   60 g mayonnaise15 g hot sauce10 ml lime juice
3. 3

   In a medium bowl, whisk together the plain flour, baking powder, fine salt, and black pepper so the leavening is evenly distributed.

   90 g plain flour4 g baking powder4 g fine salt1 g ground black pepper
4. 4

   Add the egg and cold water to the flour mixture and whisk just until you have a thick batter with no dry pockets. Fold in the chopped conch, bell pepper, celery, spring onion, scotch bonnet, garlic, and thyme. The batter should be thick enough to hold a spoonful shape; if it seems too stiff, add 1 teaspoon water at a time.

   1 large egg70 ml cold water200 g conch, cleaned and finely chopped60 g bell pepper, very finely diced40 g celery, very finely diced30 g spring onion, finely sliced5 g scotch bonnet, very finely minced1 clove garlic, minced2 g fresh thyme leaves
5. 5

   Pour the neutral oil into a small deep saucepan and heat to 175-180 C. If you do not have a thermometer, test with a small drop of batter: it should rise quickly and bubble steadily without burning immediately.

   500 ml neutral oil
6. 6

   Carefully drop heaped teaspoons of batter into the hot oil, frying in 2-3 batches so the pan is not crowded. Fry for 3-4 minutes per batch, turning once or twice, until the fritters are deep golden brown and cooked through. Properly cooked fritters will feel light, crisp outside, and no longer look wet in the center when broken open.

   500 ml neutral oil
7. 7

   Transfer the fritters to a plate lined with paper towel and let them drain for 1-2 minutes. Sprinkle lightly with a pinch of salt if desired.

8. 8

   Serve the conch fritters hot with the hot sauce dip and lime wedges for squeezing over just before eating.

   4 wedges lime wedges

Origin & History

Conch fritters are a beloved snack across the Caribbean, especially in the Bahamas, Turks and Caicos, and other islands where queen conch has long been an important coastal food. The dish reflects the region's love of seafood, peppers, and fried street-food style bites, often served with a spicy dipping sauce and lime.