Light and Fluffy Hushpuppies

You guys! It’s been a time! Between the global pandemic and the rightful protests going on in the country, I have needed a break, mentally, physically and emotionally. I’ve been finding ways to take better care of me and give my body what it asks for. One of the ways I’ve been doing this is through food. When I think of Black people in this country and the myriad of things we have contributed to the history here, so many things come to mind. When I combine that, along with my own family, I am immediately brought to food. In my family, like many other Black families in America, we do not know our full history. There’s a lot of cultures that have influenced our makeup and many dishes that have been made to fit our style. One thing that I have always loved was the big Fish Fry my family in North Carolina has every July, due to the fact that there are about 4 that happen around the same time, plus more throughout the month. At every fish fry we make all of the food and sides except the hushpuppies! Those we usually get from an NC BBQ joint called Hursey’s and they are SO good. We don’t have that here in good old Maryland, so I bring you my take on some great little fry breads!

Look at that crispy exterior. So delicious and so easy to make.

Hushpuppies were actually made popular by a Black man named Romeo Govan, that was born a slave way back in the day! There were many names for them and they existed prior to him, but it was at his infamous Fish Frys that the white elite of the area attended that catapulted them to the spotlight. And for me, they are a MUST have when I’m eating fish. You can say I’m a bit of a snob when it comes to them, which is why I wanted to make sure these were perfect. And they are! Instead of corn meal, I use corn flour as the base of these recipes. This causes them to be less dense and super airy. It also allows for add ins that won’t give you a heavy hushpuppy. The amount of sugar in them is also fully customizable up to 2 additional tablespoons to deliver a sweeter hushpuppy if that’s your thing!

Before I go, I want to give you a few tips to make the absolute best hushpuppies possible, so you can flourish. We know it’s called a fish fry, but it’s not complete until the hushpuppies show up! So here you go:

Do not over mix. This recipe is really, really simple. Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and mix until just combined. Anything more and you will risk over mixing and end up with dense, tough balls of dough.
Make sure your oil temperature remains at 350 degrees. This will ensure that your hushpuppies fry quickly and without absorbing too much oil
with adding any additional add-ins, be sure to fold in when the flour is almost all the way mixed in, but not quite finished so that you can make sure not to overmix.

Ok there you have it. Go forth and prosper with your new hushpuppy recipe! Also, before you go, please consider donating to a cause that supports the lives, liberty and justice of ALL Black individuals in this country. You can find some resources here!

Don’t forget to tag me in your photos online @lizeeangel or using #lizeeangel. And as always, comment below and please, like, share and follow me on youtube, instagram, twitter, facebook and pinterest!

hushpuppies, side dish, fish fry, summer, soul food, comfort food, healthy

Comfort Food, Cook Out, BBQ, Healthy food

Yield: 7 (3 hushpuppies per serving)

Author: Nik Manning

Light and Fluffy Hushpuppies

Something I absolutely love in this world are hushpuppies and these do not disappoint! They are light and airy on the inside and crispy on the outside, providing the perfect bite to complete any fish fry. They are the perfect summer side with very little work. These are also super customizable and the batter can be made with balls frozen in advance for when you’re ready to fry! Try them today!

prep time: 10 Mcook time: 15 Mtotal time: 25 M

Ingredients:

1 egg
2 tablespoons butter, melted
2 tablespoons sugar
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 scant cup masa corn flour
1/4 cup all purpose flour
1/2 cup milk (any %)
Optional: 2 tablespoons grated white or yellow onion
Vegetable oil for frying

Instructions:

In a medium bowl, whisk together melted butter and egg until you get a smooth mixture.
Add in salt, sugar, baking powder and onions if using and mix until well combined and no lumps are present.
Add in both corn and all purpose flours and fold in, while adding milk to get a smooth mixture. You want to achieve a thick mixture that is wet, but not runny. The goal is to be able to scoop and drop into hot oil.
In a medium pot, heat 2″ of oil to 350 degrees. Using a small cookie scoop or a spoon, scoop 1/2″ balls and carefully drop into the oil. Working in batches.
Fry for 2 minutes until one side is golden brown, flip in the oil using a spatula or spoon and fry an additional 1 minute.
Remove from hot oil and place on a rack fitted over a baking sheet to drain. If you do not have a rack, a brown bag lined baking tray will work as well.
Sprinkle with a little additional salt and allow to cool for 2-3 mins before eating. Enjoy hot!

Calories

141

Fat (grams)

Fiber (grams)

1.7

Net carbs

21.6

Nutritional info gathered from Very Well’s nutrition calculator and is depended on ingredients used, cooking techniques and other factors. Please use this as a guide, but always check nutrition for yourself.

https://lizeeangel.com/home-1/2020/6/3/hushpuppies