Calas Recipes

HOT CALAS

Steps:

• Fit a large Dutch oven with a deep-fry thermometer. Fill it halfway with vegetable oil and heat to 360 degrees F.
• In a large bowl, mix the rice with the flour, granulated sugar, baking powder, cinnamon, nutmeg and salt. Sprinkle in the vanilla and mix in the eggs until combined.
• Working in batches, drop the batter by the tablespoonful into the hot oil. Fry until golden browned on both sides, about 4 minutes total.
• Drain on a paper towel-lined plate and sprinkle with powdered sugar while still hot. Serve hot with cane syrup for dunking.

CALAS (CREOLE RICE BEIGNETS)

Steps:

• Combine water and sugar in a small bowl. Add yeast and let stand until foamy, about 10 minutes. Add rice and stir well. Cover with plastic wrap and leave at room temperature, about 10 minutes.
• Lightly mash the rice mixture, leaving some grains intact. Stir in eggs, raisins, salt, vanilla extract, cinnamon, and nutmeg. Mix in flour and cashews until well incorporated. Cover and let rise in a warm place for 1 hour.
• Heat enough oil in a large saucepan to cover the beignets. Drop spoonfuls of batter into the hot oil; cook until browned, turning once, about 5 minutes. Drain on paper towels. Promptly sprinkle with confectioners' sugar.

CALAS

Steps:

• In a fryer or a deep pot, add oil to a depth of at least three inches, and bring to 360 degrees. In a large bowl, combine rice, flour, sugar, baking powder, salt and nutmeg.
• In a small bowl, mix together eggs and vanilla. Add to rice mixture and stir with a fork until well blended. Keep mixture cool (below 70 degrees) so that it will not separate when dropped into hot oil.
• When oil is correct temperature, drop in heaping tablespoons of batter. Calas will brown on one side and turn themselves over. When browned on both sides, after about 5 minutes, remove them with a wire skimmer and drain on paper towels. Sprinkle with confectioners' sugar, and serve hot.

CALAS

Steps:

• Dissolve the yeast in 1 cup warm water and set aside. In a medium bowl, use a wooden spoon or rubber spatula to combine the rice and eggs. Add 1 cup of the flour, the brown sugar, salt and nutmeg; mix well. Mix in up to 1 cup additional flour to make a batter that is thick but liquid enough to be dropped easily from a spoon. Add the yeast mixture and mix thoroughly. Cover with a clean dish towel and let stand overnight at room temperature.
• Place the oil in a 3-quart casserole or Dutch oven. Heat to 350 degrees. Drop heaping tablespoons of batter into the oil and fry until nicely browned. Drain on a double thickness of paper towels. Dust with confectioners' sugar and serve while hot.

CALAS FRIED RICE FRITTERS

Steps:

• Bring 1 cup of water and a pinch of salt to a boil in a small saucepan. Add the rice, stir once, reduce the heat to low, and cover the pan, cooking 18 to 20 minutes or until the grains of rice are plump and fluff apart with a fork. Turn the rice out onto a parchment paper--lined baking sheet and cool for 15 minutes, then transfer to a plastic container (don't pack it in). Cover with plastic wrap and poke a few holes in the top. Refrigerate for at least 8 hours or up to 2 days.
• Pour enough peanut oil into a large pot to fill it to a 2 1/2- to 3-inch depth and bring to a temperature between 350°F and 360°F over medium heat. Line a plate with paper towels and set aside.
• While the oil heats up, place the flour, baking powder, and cinnamon in a medium bowl. Using a stand mixer or a hand mixer, beat the eggs, sugar, and vanilla on high speed until foamy and tripled in volume, 1 1/2 to 2 minutes. Sift in half of the dry ingredients, add the salt, and mix on low speed until only a few dry streaks remain. Sift in the remaining dry ingredients and mix on low speed for a few turns, then add the rice and mix until the fritter batter just comes together into a loose, roughly textured ball.
• Once your oil is hot, dip a teaspoon in the hot oil, then into the batter and scoop out a heaping teaspoonful. Hold the spoon close to the oil and let the batter roll off and into the oil. Repeat with the remaining batter; using a slotted spoon, turn and baste the fritters occasionally, allowing them to become golden brown on all sides. (Fry the fritters in two batches if your pot becomes overcrowded.) If the temperature of the oil dips below 350°F, increase the heat to medium-high. Once the fritters are golden brown, transfer them to the prepared plate to cool slightly. Serve on a small plate drizzled with lots of cane syrup.