Calas - Rice Fritters

OwlMonkey's Note:

Even the pickiest eater will love this traditional New Orleans rice fritter. Allowing the batter to sit overnight gives this particular recipe a distinctive, subtle sourdough flavor and the lack of sugar (besides what is required to proof the yeast) allows you to control how sweet you want this to be. This is a great way to use leftover rice. Your choice of oil will make a big difference in the flavor. The recipe calls for peanut oil, but I prefer it with safflower oil. It gives it a lighter, more interesting flavor (not too mention being cheaper). I got this recipe from a blog I highly recommend, Nola Cuisine.

• Total Time: 45 mins
• Prep Time: 45 mins
• Cook Time: 0 mins

Ingredients:

Yield: 5 calas

• ½ cup warm water
• 1 tablespoon granulated sugar
• 1 (¼ ounce) package active dry yeast
• ¾ cup cooked white rice
• 2 large eggs , beaten slightly
• ¾ cup all-purpose flour
• 1 pinch kosher salt
• ¼ teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1⁄8; teaspoon nutmeg
• 3 cups peanut oil (approximate. Will vary depending on size of pot used)
• 1 cup powdered sugar

Directions:

1. The day before you want to make your Calas, combine the water and sugar in a small bowl. Add the yeast and let stand until foamy, about 10 minutes. Add the rice and stir well. Cover with plastic wrap and leave at room temperature overnight. This step will really give your Calas a distinctive flavor; think sourdough.
2. The next day, stir the rice mixture and kind of mash the rice against the side of the bowl with a wooden spoon. Don’t go too crazy though, I like to have a bit of that rice texture in the finished product.
3. Add the remaining ingredients to the rice mixture, mix well with a wooden spoon. The mixture should be a fairly loose batter, a little thicker than pancake batter. Cover and let rise in a warm place for 1 hour. This step will make your Calas as light as air when fried! (Here is where I digress from the original recipe: be aware that if you let it rise the whole time it will soak up a lot more oil into the air pockets that will form. I let it rise for 15 minutes and they turn out perfectly and much less fatty)
4. Heat 3 inches of peanut oil in a large saucepan to 365 degrees. Drop spoonfuls of the Calas batter into the hot oil. Fry until golden brown, turning once. Serve with lots and lots of powdered sugar, like Beignets, or drizzle with Cane Syrup. Recipe makes about 6 good sized Calas.