Chef Ricky Moore’s “Hoppin’ Jay” Tidewater Grain Co Rice Fritters

Eat these rice fritters on New Years Eve and New Years Day, and folk lore says you’ll invite wealth, abundance and fertility as the peas and the rice are both considered to be “Lucky Foods”. This recipe for “Hoppin’ Jay” Fritters with “Good Luck” Pepper Hot Sauce from Chef Ricky Moore of SaltBox Seafood Joint in Durham, NC, combines peas and rice for a plate full of good fortune and great flavors. We think they are delicious any day of the week, any time of the year. And the hot sauce…wow…keep reading, you’ll see!

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Chef Ricky Moore’s “Hoppin’ Jay” Tidewater Grain Co Rice Fritters

Author: Chef Ricky Moore

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup black-eyed peas cooked
• 1/2 cup Tidewater Grain Co White Carolina Gold Rice or 1/2 cup Tidewater Grain Co Brown Carolina Gold Rice cooked. You will find the directions for cooking on the Tidewater Grain Co. website, here.
• 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/2 cup Tidewater Grain Co rice flour* or substitute an equal amount of cornstarch
• 1/2 tsp each: garlic powder, onion powder and smoked paprika
• 1/2 tsp each: salt and baking powder
• 1-1 1/2 cups ice cold water
• a third cup dried shredded coconut, unsweetened
• 2 green onions, chopped ( use less if desired)
• 1 Tbsp. fresh minced parsley
• 1 tsp. benne seeds aka black sesame seeds
• Half of a jalapeno, seeds and pith removed ( optional)
• Vegetable Oil for Frying

“Good Luck” Hot Pepper Sauce

• 2/3 cup ( about 5 oz) red jalapenos, seeded with pith removed, roughly chopped
• 10 cloves garlic, peeled and crushed just until broken
• About 1 cup distilled white vinegar
• 1/4 cup + 1-2 Tbsp. sugar
• 1 tsp. salt

Instructions

1. Place the peas and rice into a mixing bowl and set aside.
2. In another bowl, stir together flour, rice flour ( or cornstarch), garlic powder, onion powder, smoked paprika, salt, coconut, green onions, sesame seeds, and jalapenos.
3. Add 1 cup of ice water and stir just until the batter is smooth, adding the rest of the water only as needed. The batter should be thin enough that it is easily pourable and is not gloppy, but not as thin as a crepe batter. (When in doubt, err on the side of the batter being too thick. It’s much easier to add more water to thin it out if your first batch turns out to be too clumpy.)
4. Pour about ¾ of the batter over the peas and rice and stir to mix well. If it looks like it needs more batter, add some or all of the remaining batter. You want to add enough to bind everything together.
5. Heat about 1-inch of vegetable oil in a pot over medium heat to 375°F.
6. Drop the batter by the spoonful into the oil, 1 heaping tablespoon at a time. Fry until golden brown, about 3-4 minutes, flipping the fritters half way through. If the first batch of your fritters look clumpy, add a little more water to your batter so that the peas and rice spread into a nice round shape once they are dropped into the oil.
7. Drain on a paper towel season with salt and serve immediately with Chef Ricky’s “Good Luck” Hot Pepper Sauce.

Good Luck Hot Pepper Sauce

1. Place chilies and garlic in a small pot and add just enough vinegar to cover (you may need a little more or less than 1 cup). Simmer on low heat for about 15 minutes, or until the garlic cloves are soft.
2. Transfer to a blender and blend until smooth.
3. Strain the sauce through a fine mesh sieve into a small pot, pushing out as much liquid as possible with a rubber spatula, and occasionally scrape the bottom of the sieve with a knife to get the sauce that is hanging on there.
4. Put the sauce back on the stove over medium heat. Add salt and 1/4 cup sugar and stir until the sauce comes to a simmer. Remove from heat, taste, and adjust seasoning with the remaining sugar if needed. Store in an airtight container in the fridge. It should last you a few months.