If you’re accustomed to sweet corn fritters—even served with maple syrup—these are going to come as either a joyous revelation or a rude awakening. They’re just as crunchy, but spicy and mildly hot.

　　

Ingredients

makes about 6 servings

　　2 Anaheim or poblano chiles

　　1 jalapeño or habanero chile, stemmed, seeded, and minced, or 1 teaspoon hot red pepper flakes, or to taste

　　3 cups fresh corn kernels, from 5 or 6 ears

　　1 egg

　　1/2 cup flour, or a little more as needed

　　1/2 teaspoon ground coriander

　　1 teaspoon ground cumin

　　1/2 cup fresh cilantro leaves

　　Salt and black pepper to taste

　　Corn, grapeseed, or other neutral oil for deep-frying

　　

Step 1

Roast the whole chiles in a dry skillet, the broiler, or over a grill (page 470), until lightly charred all over. Cool, then peel, stem, and seed. Combine the mild chiles in a food processor with the hot chile and 2 cups of the corn; process until quite smooth, about 1 minute, stopping the machine to scrape down the sides if necessary.

　　

Step 2

Combine the puree with the whole corn kernels, egg, flour, spices, cilantro, and some salt and pepper. The mixture should hold together when you clump it; if it does not, add a little more flour.

　　

Step 3

Put at least 2 inches of oil in a deep saucepan or skillet and heat over medium-high heat to 350°F or until a pinch of flour sizzles. Use a spoon or your hands to form the batter into golf ball–sized or smaller fritters; gently slide them into the oil and fry until golden brown, turning once, about 4 minutes. Serve immediately.

　　The Best Recipes in the World by Mark Bittman. © 2005 by Mark Bittman. Published by Broadway Books. All Rights Reserved.MARK BITTMAN is the author of the blockbuster The Best Recipes in the World (Broadway, 2005) and the classic bestseller How to Cook Everything, which has sold more than one million copies. He is also the coauthor, with Jean-Georges Vongerichten, of Simple to Spectacular and Jean-Georges: Cooking at Home with a Four-Star Chef. Mr. Bittman is a prolific writer, makes frequent appearances on radio and television, and is the host of The Best Recipes in the World, a 13-part series on public television. He lives in New York and Connecticut.