Welcome back food family!
During the Lent season I always look forward to enjoying this tasty dish! Usually, mom will be the one making the shrimp patties 🍤 every year for the whole family but right now she's vacationing (lucky!), so I called her to get the recipe. I think they turned out great!
Lucky for me I had shrimp powder that mom brought me from Mexico. There are many ways that it is prepared but it always includes dry shrimp, of course. This one in particular is finely ground with dry shrimp and fava beans. It's already salted so no need to add more salt to the patties. It is absolutely delicious 😋.
Of course, you can also find the shrimp powder in the USA since most Latino stores sell it. Just make sure it is finely ground. If it's a little grainy I like to put it through the magic bullet blender. The finer it is the better. You don't want to bite into crunchy patties. Be careful when you open the blender! You don't want shrimp powder all over your kitchen.
I think there's a misconception that all Mexican dishes in red sauce are spicy. Not all sauces are the same. The sauce for this dish, for example, is mild. I didn't want the spice to steal the thunder away from the shrimp patties. But of course, if you prefer a spicier sauce simply add more chile de arbol.
I'm not going to lie, frying the patties takes time and probably the most laborious part of making this dish. This is why I decided to simply toss the veggies for the sauce fresh in the blender. This was a time saver! It makes sense since the sauce will cook during the frying and simmering process. This is why it is so important that the oil is hot.... you're welcome, lol.
Oh, and one last thing, I decided to add some cilantro to the patties... so good! This is optional.
I hope you enjoy this dish as much as we did. Don't forget to come back and comment to let me know how the recipe turned out for you!
Yields: 18 Shrimp Patties
Ingredients:
1/2 to 1 cup SHRIMP POWDER
1 1/2 lbs CACTUS cooked and sliced (can use store bought)
1/2 medium ONION sliced
1 cup CILANTRO chopped
8 EGG WHITES
8 EGG YOLKS
1-1/2 cups OIL for frying tortas (Canola, Vegetable or Avocado)
1 tbs OIL for frying onion, cilantro and sauce
KNORR CHICKEN BOUILLON to taste
Optional: 1/2 cup CILANTRO finely chopped to mix in torta batter
Ingredients for the Sauce:
2 large GARLIC CLOVES
6 to 8 GUAJILLO PEPPERS de-seeded
4 to 6 CHILE DE ARBOL
3 TOMATOES
1/4 ONION
2 cups WATER
Instructions:
1-Add all the sauce ingredients to a blender. Blend and set aside.
2-In a mixing bowl add the EGG WHITES. Mix with a hand or stand mixer until fluffy. Now add the EGG YOLKS, one at a time and continue to mix. The egg mixture should remain fluffy.
3-Slowly add the SHRIMP POWDER and optional CILANTRO to the egg mixture. Using a spatula or spoon slowly fold into the egg mixture. The mixture should be thick like a pancake batter.
4-In a skillet over medium heat add 1-1/2 cups of OIL. Once hot carefully place a few patties in the hot oil. I like to use an ice cream scoop, but you can use a spoon. Fry the patties on both sides until golden brown. Approximately 1 to 2 minutes. Continue to cook a few at a time. Place the finished patties on a paper lined baking sheet. Set aside.
5-In a pot over medium heat add 1 tablespoon of OIL. Once hot sauté the ONION until soft and translucent. Add the CILANTRO. Keep stirring for approximately 2 minutes.
6-Move the onion and cilantro to the sides of the pot. Pour the sauce in the pot. Keep stirring and mix the onion and cilantro with the sauce. Season with CHICKEN BOUILLON to taste. Let it cook for about 3 minutes or until it simmers.
7-Add the CACTUS to the sauce. Mix then add the shrimp patties. Softly stir to cover the patties and cactus in the sauce. At this point you may add more water if you prefer a brothier sauce. Let it simmer an additional 5 to 8 minutes and enjoy!
PRO TIP: Use an ice cream scoop to pour the patties to fry. Not only does this make the process easier but your patties will be more similar in size.
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