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    Home » Recipes

    Vietnamese Shrimp and Sweet Potato Fritters (Bánh Tôm Chiên Khoai Lang)

    Published: Apr 4, 2023 Modified: Apr 4, 2023 by Suzanne Nuyen This post may contain affiliate links · This blog generates income via ads

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    A plate of herbs and Vietnamese Shrimp and Sweet Potato Fritters (Bánh Tôm Chiên Khoai Lang) is featuring a title and website.

    These Vietnamese shrimp and sweet potato fritters, or bánh tôm chiên khoai lang are a bit of a labor of love. But with a little bit of effort, the delicate, crispy fritters made with thinly sliced sweet potato topped with garlicky shrimp will be a showstopper wherever they're served.

    Pin Vietnamese Shrimp and Sweet Potato Fritters (Bánh Tôm Chiên Khoai Lang to try later!

    A bird's eye view of a pile of Vietnamese Shrimp and Sweet Potato Fritters (Bánh Tôm Chiên Khoai Lang) on a blue plate with herbs and fish sauce

    This dish is usually served as an appetizer, and is super easy to make in bulk. Try bringing it to your next summer potluck!

    Make sure to serve it with plenty of lettuce and herbs like mint and Thai basil, as well as some fish sauce dipping sauce, or nước mắm pha for dunking.

    Jump to:
    • 🦐 Ingredients
    • 🔪 Instructions
    • 💭 Substitutions
    • 🍳 Equipment
    • 🍚 Serving Suggestions
    • ✏️ Top tip
    • 👪 Serving Size
    • 🥡 How to make or store in advance
    • 📋 Recipe
    • 🦺 Food safety
    • Related

    🦐 Ingredients

    sweet potatoes and a gallon bag of shrimp on a wooden cutting board

    You will need:

    • Shrimp
    • Fish sauce
    • Garlic
    • Shallot
    • Sweet potates
    • Rice Flour
    • All-Purpose Flour
    • Cornstarch
    • Salt
    • Pepper
    • Baking Powder
    • Egg
    • Water
    • Cooking Oil

    See recipe card for quantities.

    🔪 Instructions

    two hands devein a raw, head on shrimp

    Peel and devein your shrimp. I used shrimp with the heads on for a prettier appearance, but you can use any shrimp.

    A bowl of marinated shrimp

    Add minced shallot, garlic, salt, pepper and fish sauce to the shrimp. Combine and let the shrimp marinate while you prepare the potatoes.

    Two hands julienne a sweet potato

    Peel and slice the potatoes into ¼ inch strips, about 2-3 inches long.

    A hand whisks flour in a metal bowl

    Whisk together rice flour, all-purpose flour, cornstarch, baking powder, salt and pepper until well combined.

    A hand whisks batter in a metal bowl

    Add the egg and water to the flour and whisk the batter until it's just combined. It's ok if there are a few lumps.

    Two hands mix julliened sweet potato into batter

    Add the sweet potato strips to the batter and mix thoroughly until every piece of potato is coated.

    A ladle with a pile of thinly sliced, battered sweet potatoes with a shrimp on top

    Heat enough cooking oil in large, heavy-bottomed pot or cast iron skillet to fully submerge the fritters. The oil should be about 350° Fahrenheit. Arrange the coated sweet potatoes onto a ladle, large spoon or spider strainer, and then add one shrimp. Carefully slide the pile of potatoes and shrimp into the hot oil so that the contents of the ladle remain stuck together.

    A ladle lifts a cooked Vietnamese Shrimp and Sweet Potato Fritters (Bánh Tôm Chiên Khoai Lang) out of a pan of hot oil

    Remove the fritters when they are golden brown and the shrimp is no longer gray or translucent. Place them on a wire rack or on some paper towels to absorb the excess oil.

    Hint: If you don't have a thermometer, you can test the temperature of the oil by sticking a wooden spoon or wooden chopstick into the oil. If it bubbles, it's ready to use.

    💭 Substitutions

    • Potatoes - You can use a combination of sweet potatoes and red potatoes, or Japanese sweet potatoes.
    • Cornstarch - You can use potato starch instead.
    • Gluten Free - I have not tested this recipe without the all-purpose flour. I would recommend using a gluten-free, all-purpose mix that you trust and have used before.
    An up close shot of a Vietnamese Shrimp and Sweet Potato Fritters (Bánh Tôm Chiên Khoai Lang)

    🍳 Equipment

    • I like to use a Dutch oven or cast iron skillet when making shrimp and sweet potato fritters. If you have a deep fryer, you can use it, but I find it easier to slide the fritters into a cast iron skillet because the sides of the pan aren't as deep.
    • A flat, wide ladle or large spoon works best to shape the fritters before they land in the oil. You could also use a spider strainer.
    • Because these fritters are very loosely formed and don't stick together until they hit the hot oil, I would not recommend air-frying them.

    🍚 Serving Suggestions

    A hand holds a piece of green leaf lettuce with a Vietnamese Shrimp and Sweet Potato Fritters (Bánh Tôm Chiên Khoai Lang) inside.

    I like eating these as lettuce wraps with green leaf lettuce and plenty of herbs. Mint, Thai basil and cilantro are all good herbs to serve with these. The fish sauce dipping sauce is essential to the dish. You could also use storebought Thai chili sauce as a dip, but it won't be as good in my opinion.

    ✏️ Top tip

    It might feel like a pain in the but, but cutting the sweet potatoes into very thin, small strips will make your fritters much more crispy. The thinner sweet potatoes also cook faster, which keeps the shrimp from overcooking. Spend some time chopping those potatoes!

    👪 Serving Size

    A horizontal shot of a pile of Vietnamese Shrimp and Sweet Potato Fritters (Bánh Tôm Chiên Khoai Lang) on a teal plate with herbs

    This recipe makes about 20-30 fritters. It'll feed 5-6 people comfortably as a meal, or 10-12 people as an appetizer.

    🥡 How to make or store in advance

    The shrimp can be marinated one day in advance. Cut the sweet potatoes a day in advance as well, and mix the batter the day you are cooking the fritters.

    Cooked can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for up to a week. Reheat them on a wire rack in the oven at 350° Fahrenheit until just warmed through, or in an air fryer.

    📋 Recipe

    A teal plate filled with Vietnamese sweet potato and shrimp firtters (Vietnamese Shrimp and Sweet Potato Fritters (Bánh Tôm Chiên Khoai Lang) and herbs, with a bowl of fish sauce on the side.
    Print Pin
    5 from 1 vote

    Vietnamese Shrimp and Sweet Potato Fritters (Bánh Tôm Chiên Khoai Lang)

    These Vietnamese shrimp and sweet potato fritters, or bánh tôm chiên khoai lang are a bit of a labor of love. But with a little bit of effort, the delicate, crispy fritters made with thinly sliced sweet potato topped with garlicky shrimp will be a showstopper wherever it's served.
    Course Appetizer, Main Course
    Cuisine Asian, Vietnamese
    Keyword Seafood, Shrimp
    Prep Time 30 minutes minutes
    Cook Time 1 hour hour
    Total Time 1 hour hour 30 minutes minutes
    Servings 5
    Calories 485kcal

    Ingredients

    For the Shrimp

    • 1 lb shrimp
    • 1 shallot minced
    • 3 cloves garlic minced
    • 1 tablespoon fish sauce
    • ¼ teaspoon salt
    • ¼ teaspoon black pepper

    For the sweet potatoes

    • 3 sweet potatoes
    • 1 cup all-purpose flour
    • 1 cup rice flour
    • ½ cup cornstarch
    • 1 teaspoon salt
    • 1 tsp black pepper
    • 1 teaspoon baking powder
    • 2 eggs
    • ½ cup cold water
    • cooking oil

    Instructions

    • Peel and devein your shrimp. I used shrimp with the heads on for a prettier appearance, but you can use any shrimp.
    • Add the minced shallot, garlic, salt, pepper and fish sauce to the shrimp. Combine and let the shrimp marinate while you prepare the potatoes.
    • Peel and slice the potatoes into ¼ inch strips, about 2-3 inches long.
    • Whisk together rice flour, all-purpose flour, cornstarch, baking powder, salt and pepper until well combined.
    • Add the egg and water to the flour and whisk the batter until it's just combined. It's ok if there are a few lumps.
    • Add the sweet potato strips to the batter and mix thoroughly until every piece of potato is coated.
    • Heat enough cooking oil in large, heavy-bottomed pot or cast iron skillet to fully submerge the fritters. The oil should be about 350° Fahrenheit. Arrange the coated sweet potatoes onto a ladle, large spoon or spider strainer, and then add one shrimp. Carefully slide the pile of potatoes and shrimp into the hot oil so that the contents of the ladle remain stuck together.
    • Remove the fritters when they are golden brown and the shrimp is no longer gray or translucent. Place them on a wire rack or on some paper towels to absorb the excess oil.
    • Serve with lettuce, herbs and fish sauce dipping sauce

    Notes

    Note: Calorie count and nutrition information are an estimate only.

    Nutrition

    Calories: 485kcal | Carbohydrates: 86g | Protein: 28g | Fat: 3g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 1g | Trans Fat: 0.01g | Cholesterol: 212mg | Sodium: 1160mg | Potassium: 813mg | Fiber: 6g | Sugar: 6g | Vitamin A: 19336IU | Vitamin C: 4mg | Calcium: 173mg | Iron: 3mg
    Nutrition Facts
    Vietnamese Shrimp and Sweet Potato Fritters (Bánh Tôm Chiên Khoai Lang)
    Amount Per Serving
    Calories 485 Calories from Fat 27
    % Daily Value*
    Fat 3g5%
    Saturated Fat 1g6%
    Trans Fat 0.01g
    Polyunsaturated Fat 1g
    Monounsaturated Fat 1g
    Cholesterol 212mg71%
    Sodium 1160mg50%
    Potassium 813mg23%
    Carbohydrates 86g29%
    Fiber 6g25%
    Sugar 6g7%
    Protein 28g56%
    Vitamin A 19336IU387%
    Vitamin C 4mg5%
    Calcium 173mg17%
    Iron 3mg17%
    * Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

    Note: Calorie count and nutrition information are an estimate only.

    🦺 Food safety

    • Fish and shellfish should be cooked to a minimum temperature of 145 °F (63 °C)
    • Do not use the same utensils on cooked food, that previously touched raw meat
    • Wash hands after touching raw meat
    • Don't leave food sitting out at room temperature for extended periods
    • Never leave cooking food unattended
    • Use oils with high smoking point to avoid harmful compounds
    • Always have good ventilation when using a gas stove

    See more guidelines at USDA.gov.

    Did you make this recipe? Please tag @BunBoBaeBlog on Instagram or leave a rating or comment on the blog!

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    Hi! I'm Suzanne, your Bun Bo Bae. I'm a journalist, professional amateur baker, noodle enthusiast and food photographer living in Washington, DC. My immigrant parents taught me everything I know about Vietnamese home cooking, and now I want to share it with you!

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