Living in our small coastal town of Pilar, Bataan, ukoy wasn’t just another recipe, it was a celebration of our morning’s catch.
I’ll never forget how my mother would light up when my siblings and I would run home with fresh shrimp from the nearby shore, knowing exactly what we wanted her to make.
She’d transform those tiny hipon into the most incredible crispy fritters, the salty breeze from the ocean mixing with the mouthwatering aroma of freshly fried ukoy smelling through our kitchen.
Today, every time I make this Filipino ukoy recipe, that perfect crackle of biting into the crispy exterior takes me right back to our humble kitchen, where we’d gather around still-sizzling ukoy, fighting over the crunchiest pieces and dunking them in spicy vinegar.
I’ve tested and refined this recipe dozens of times to match my mother’s version, and I’m excited to share our family’s secrets for achieving that perfect crunch that’ll make you feel like you’re enjoying afternoon merienda in a Filipino seaside home.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Achieves the perfect crispy texture through a special flour-cornstarch ratio
- Uses easy-to-find ingredients with suggested alternatives
- Includes authentic Filipino cooking techniques
- Perfect for merienda (afternoon snack) or as an appetizer
- Can be made ahead and reheated while maintaining crispiness
- Customizable with different vegetables and seafood options
Filipino Ukoy (Crispy Shrimp Fritters)
Equipment
- Deep heavy-bottomed pan or kawali For achieving even frying temperature
- Spider strainer (siyanse) For removing fritters from hot oil
- Metal mixing bowls For preparing batter
- Measuring cups and spoons (Panukat) For precise measurements
- Wooden spoon or spatula For mixing ingredients
- Paper towels For draining excess oil
- Thermometer (optional) For monitoring oil temperature
Ingredients
For the Fritters:
- 1 cup small shrimps hipon, cleaned (fresh or dried)
- 1 cup cornstarch cornstarch powder
- ¼ cup all-purpose flour harina
- 1½ cups mung bean sprouts togue
- ½ teaspoon salt asin
- ½ teaspoon ground black pepper dinurog na paminta
- 1 piece raw egg itlog
- ¼ teaspoon baking powder
- 1¼ cups water tubig
- 2 cups cooking oil mantika
For the Dipping Sauce:
- ½ cup spiced vinegar sinamak or pinakurat
- 2 Thai chilies chopped (siling labuyo)
- 2 cloves garlic minced (bawang)
Instructions
- Start by thoroughly mixing cornstarch (galapong), all-purpose flour, baking powder, salt (asin), and ground black pepper (paminta) in a large bowl. This creates your base batter (palaman). In a separate small bowl, beat one egg (itlog) until well combined. Add the beaten egg to your dry mixture and gradually pour in cold water (tubig) while stirring continuously. Mix until you achieve a smooth batter without any lumps (walang buo-buo).
- Gently fold in your cleaned small shrimps (hipon) and mung bean sprouts (togue) into the batter. Be careful not to overmix as this can make your ukoy tough. Make sure all ingredients are evenly distributed throughout the mixture (pantay-pantay ang pagkakahalo).
- Heat your cooking oil (mantika) in a deep, heavy-bottomed pan or kawali to 350°F (175°C). You’ll know the oil is ready when a small drop of batter sizzles and rises immediately to the surface. While waiting for the oil to heat, line a plate or tray with paper towels (papel na pampatuyo) for draining the cooked ukoy.
- Once your oil is hot, carefully scoop about 2-3 tablespoons of the mixture and slowly lower it into the hot oil (mainit na mantika). Spread the mixture slightly with the back of your spoon to create a thin, even fritter. This ensures maximum crispiness (pagkalutong). Fry each ukoy for 2-3 minutes on each side, or until it turns a beautiful golden brown (kulay ginto).
- Remove the ukoy using a spider strainer or siyanse and place on your prepared paper towels to drain excess oil (alisin ang sobrang mantika). Maintain your oil temperature between batches by allowing it to reheat if necessary. Continue this process until you’ve used all your batter.
- Serve your ukoy immediately while hot and crispy (mainit at malutong), with a side of spiced vinegar (suka) or traditional sinamak. For the best experience, hold the ukoy over your sawsawan (dipping sauce) to catch any drips while eating. The ukoy should make a satisfying cracking sound (lagutok) when you bite into it – this tells you you’ve achieved the perfect texture.
- For storage (pag-iimbak), let the ukoy cool completely before transferring to an airtight container. While best enjoyed fresh, you can recrisp them in a preheated 350°F (175°C) oven for 3-5 minutes if needed.
Tips from Lola’s Kitchen
- Use ice-cold water in the batter for extra crispiness
- Don’t overmix the batter to avoid tough fritters
- Pat dry shrimps and vegetables before adding to prevent excess moisture
- Maintain consistent oil temperature for even cooking
- Make the fritters thin for maximum crispiness
- Fresh oil yields crispier results
Traditional Serving Suggestions
- Serve hot with spiced vinegar (sinamak or pinakurat)
- Pair with hot rice for a complete meal
- Enjoy as merienda with cold soda or hot tea
- Common accompaniments: atchara (pickled papaya) or fresh tomatoes
Troubleshooting Guide
- Soggy Fritters: Increase cornstarch ratio, ensure oil is hot enough
- Breaking Apart: Add more flour to bind, or let batter rest
- Too Dense: Add more water to thin the batter
- Not Crispy: Use colder water, increase cornstarch ratio
Ingredient Alternatives
- Shrimp: Small dried fish (dilis), fresh small fish (dulong)
- Mung Bean Sprouts: Julienned carrots, cabbage, or squash
- Cornstarch: Potato starch (but reduce amount by 25%)
- All-Purpose Flour: Rice flour for gluten-free option
Storage & Reheating
- Storage: Keep in airtight container at room temperature for 1 day
- Refrigeration: Up to 3 days
- Reheating: In oven at 350°F (175°C) for 5-7 minutes
- Freezing: Not recommended as it affects texture
Variations
- Squash Ukoy: Add julienned kalabasa (squash)
- Vegetable Ukoy: Include carrots and sweet potato strips
- Mixed Seafood: Combine small shrimp with dilis
- Extra Crispy: Use rice flour blend for coating
Frequently Asked Questions
- Why isn’t my ukoy crispy?
- Common causes: oil not hot enough, too much moisture in ingredients
- Can I make the batter ahead?
- Yes, but add vegetables just before cooking
- How do I prevent oil splatter?
- Ensure ingredients are dry and carefully lower into oil
- Is ukoy gluten-free?
- Traditional recipe isn’t, but can be made gluten-free with rice flour
Nutrition
The Story Behind Filipino Ukoy
Ukoy has deep roots in Filipino coastal communities, where abundant harvests of tiny shrimp from local waters inspired this ingenious fritter. This beloved dish emerged from the practical wisdom of Filipino fisherfolk who needed to preserve their daily catch. By combining fresh shrimp with readily available ingredients like mung bean sprouts and turning them into crispy fritters, families could create filling meals that made the most of their seafood bounty.
In the bustling streets of the Philippines, ukoy evolved from a humble home-cooked dish to a popular street food sensation. Street vendors, known locally as magtataho, would carry these golden-brown delicacies in large bilao (woven bamboo trays), their distinctive crackling sound and aromatic appeal drawing hungry passersby. The addition of sinamak or pinakurat (spiced vinegar) as a dipping sauce became a game-changing combination that perfectly balanced the fritter’s richness with tangy, spicy notes.
Today, ukoy showcases the Filipino talent for transforming simple ingredients into extraordinary flavors. While modern variations might include kalabasa (squash) or carrots, the dish’s essence remains unchanged – perfectly crispy fritters that shatter satisfyingly with each bite, revealing succulent pieces of shrimp within. This enduring recipe has been passed down through generations, with each family adding their own special touch while maintaining the traditional technique that makes ukoy uniquely Filipino.
What sets Filipino ukoy apart from other Asian fritters is its distinctive texture, achieved through a careful balance of cornstarch and flour in the batter. Unlike its counterparts in other Southeast Asian cuisines, ukoy celebrates the whole shrimp, shell and all, creating a more complex texture and deeper seafood flavor that has made it a mainstay in Filipino cuisine, from simple merienda (afternoon snacks) to festive celebrations.
