{{Short description|Filipino crispy deep-fried fritters}} {{Redirect|Ukoy|the Russian cape and bay|Cape Ukoy}} {{Use mdy dates|date=October 2022}} {{Use Philippine English|date=October 2022}} {{Infobox food | name = Okoy | image = 250px | image_size = 250px | caption = Shrimp ''okoy'' from Vigan, Ilocos Sur | alternate_name = ''Ukoy'' | country = Philippines | region = | creator = | course = Main course, side dish | served = Warm | main_ingredient = | variations = | calories = | similar_dish = ''Camaron rebosado'', ''calamares'', bazun khwet kyaw, bakwan | other = }}
'''''Okoy''''', '''''okoi''''' or '''''ukoy''''', are Filipino crispy deep-fried fritters made with glutinous rice batter, unshelled small shrimp, and various vegetables, including calabaza, sweet potato, cassava, mung bean sprouts, scallions and julienned carrots, onions, and green papaya. They are traditionally served with vinegar-based dipping sauces. They are eaten on their own or with white rice. They are popular for breakfast, snacks, or appetizers. ''Okoy'' are sometimes dyed bright orange with ''achuete'' seeds.<ref name="williams"/>
''Okoy'' has numerous variations using a variety of other ingredients, including replacing the shrimp with small fish or calamari. ''Okoy'' batter can also be made with regular flour, rice flour, or an egg and cornstarch mixture. It can also refer to omelettes made with mashed calabaza or sweet potato, with or without the shrimp.<ref name="polistico"/><ref name="cailan"/>
==Etymology== [[File:7569Santa Rita Pampanga Duman Festival 09.jpg|thumb|Shrimp ''okoy'' sold during the Duman Festival of Santa Rita, Pampanga]] According to Filipino linguist Gloria Chan-Yap, the name ''okoy'' comes from Hokkien ''ō+kuè'', meaning "cake made from taro". However, they are very different dishes. The Hokkien dish is made from deep-fried taro and minced pork, while the Philippine dish utilizes none of those ingredients. The only similarity between them is that they are both deep-fried and pancake-shaped.<ref name="Chan-Yap">{{cite journal |last1=Chan-Yap |first1=Gloria |title=Hokkien Chinese Influence on Tagalog Cookery |journal=Philippine Studies |date=1976 |volume=24 |issue=3 |pages=288–302 |url=http://www.philippinestudies.net/ojs/index.php/ps/article/view/3911 |archive-date=September 6, 2024 |access-date=July 10, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240906174618/http://www.philippinestudies.net/ojs/index.php/ps/article/view/3911 |url-status=dead }}</ref>
==Description== The most basic traditional ''okoy'' recipe uses a small amount of ''galapong'' (ground soaked glutinous rice) as the batter, spiced to taste with onion, garlic, salt, and scallions. It is mixed with mashed ''kalabasa'' (calabaza) and unshelled small shrimp. They are deep-fried as small flat patties until golden brown. Excess oil is drained on paper towels and the dish is served warm and crispy.<ref name="dado">{{cite web |last1=Lardizabal-Dado |first1=Noemi |title=Ukoy, Okoy or Shrimp Fritters |url=https://pinoyfoodblog.com/filipino-recipes/ukoy-okoy-or-shrimp-fritters/ |website=Pinoy Food Recipes |date=January 8, 2013 |access-date=December 14, 2018}}</ref> ''Okoy'' batter can also be mixed with ''kamote'' (sweet potato) or ''kamoteng kahoy'' (cassava), instead of, or in addition to calabaza. Other ingredients are also traditionally added, including mung bean sprouts (''togue'') and/or julienned carrots, onions, and green papaya.<ref name="gapultos"/><ref name="aranas">{{cite book|author= Aranas, Jennifer|title =Tropical Island Cooking: Traditional Recipes, Contemporary Flavors|publisher =Tuttle Publishing|year =2015|page=31|isbn = 9781462916894|url =https://books.google.com/books?id=QbCHCgAAQBAJ}}</ref> The dish is sometimes dyed bright orange with ''achuete'' seeds.<ref name="williams">{{cite book|author=Williams, Sean|title =The Ethnomusicologists' Cookbook: Complete Meals from Around the World|publisher =Routledge|year =2013|page=82|isbn = 9781135518967|url =https://books.google.com/books?id=qRffAQAAQBAJ}}</ref>
''Okoy'' can be eaten on its own or with white rice. It is usually eaten as a snack, as appetizers, or as a breakfast meal. Traditionally, it is served with a vinegar-based dipping sauce; like ''sinamak'' (vinegar with ''labuyo'' chilis, ginger, garlic, peppercorns, and onion) or ''pinakurat'' (vinegar with fish sauce, ''labuyo'' chilis, peppercorns, ginger, garlic, and dried mangoes).<ref name="cailan">{{cite web |last1=Cailan |first1=Alvin |title=Ukoy: A Filipino Fritter Side Dish |url=https://www.kcet.org/shows/the-migrant-kitchen/ukoy-a-filipino-fritter-side-dish |website=The Migrant Kitchen |publisher=KCET |access-date=December 14, 2018}}</ref><ref name="angeles"/><ref name="ffa">{{cite web |title=Okoy or Ukoy Recipe (Crispy Shrimp Fritters) |url=https://www.pinoyrecipe.net/ukoy-recipe-or-okoy/ |website=Pinoy Recipe at iba pa. |access-date=December 14, 2018}}</ref> It can also be dipped in banana ketchup, tomato ketchup, sweet and sour sauces, or even garlic mayonnaise.<ref name="pkus">{{cite web |title=Okoy/ Ukoy (Shrimp and Sweet Potato Fritters) |url=http://www.pinoykusinero.com/2014/04/okoy-ukoy-shrimp-and-sweet-potato.html |website=Pinoy Kusinero |access-date=December 14, 2018 |archive-date=November 29, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201129073652/http://www.pinoykusinero.com/2014/04/okoy-ukoy-shrimp-and-sweet-potato.html |url-status=dead }}</ref>
==Variants== [[File:Ukoy na Puso sa Batag (rotated).jpg|thumb|''Okoy na puso ng saging'', an ''okoy'' variant using banana flowers]] thumb|Shrimp ''okoy'' with dipping sauce Modern versions typically use regular flour or rice flour, instead of ''galapong''.<ref name="dado"/> Egg mixed with cornstarch can also be used.<ref name="cailan"/><ref name="angeles">{{cite web |last1=Angeles |first1=Mira |title=Okoy Recipe |url=https://www.yummy.ph/recipe/okoy-recipe |website=Yummy.ph |access-date=December 14, 2018}}</ref> ''Okoy'' is also used to refer to savory omelettes made with mashed calabaza or sweet potato (more properly ''tortang kalabasa'' or ''tortang kamote'', respectively), with or without the shrimp.<ref name="polistico"/>
The shrimp may also be omitted completely, especially when using mashed calabaza or sweet potato. The shrimp can be replaced with small fish like ''dilis'' (anchovies) or ''dulong'' (noodlefish), as well as calamari or even shredded chicken.<ref name="ffa"/><ref name="pincr">{{cite web |title=Ukoy / Silverfish Omelette Recipe |url=https://www.pinoycookingrecipes.com/ukoy--silverfish-omelette.html |website=Pinoy Cooking Recipes |access-date=December 14, 2018}}</ref><ref name="dagoon">{{cite book|editor =Dagoon, Jesse D. |editor2=Dagoon, Aida L. |editor3=Dagoon, Jasmin Flor|title =Culinary Arts I|publisher =Rex Bookstore, Inc.|year =1999|page=240|isbn =9789712326035|url =https://books.google.com/books?id=zlEc2n2rFrgC&q=okoy}}</ref> Larger shrimp, shelled and butterflied can also be used, and can be cooked tempura-style.<ref name="aranas"/>
The dish can be modified easily to use other non-traditional ingredients,<ref name="gapultos"/> including potatoes, bell peppers, peppercorns, ''tokwa'' (tofu), grated coconut, and ''apulid'' (water chestnuts).<ref name="gapultos">{{cite book|author= Gapultos, Marvin|title =The Adobo Road Cookbook: A Filipino Food Journey|publisher =Tuttle Publishing|year =2013|isbn = 9781462911691|url =https://books.google.com/books?id=OBTQAgAAQBAJ}}</ref><ref name="williams"/> A unique variant of the dish uses banana flowers (''puso ng saging'', lit. "banana heart") cooked in batter.<ref name="polistico">{{cite book|author= Polistico, Edgie|title =Philippine Food, Cooking, & Dining Dictionary|publisher =Anvil Publishing, Incorporated|year =2017|isbn =9786214200870|url =https://books.google.com/books?id=iz8_DwAAQBAJ&q=Arroz+caldo}}</ref>
A similar dish is ''tortang dulong'' or ''maranay'' which is an omelette made from very small fish from the family Salangidae known as ''dulong'' in Tagalog and ''ipon'', ''libgao'', or ''maranay'' in Visayan.<ref>{{cite web |title=Tortang Dulong Recipe |url=https://panlasangpinoy.com/tortang-dulong-fish-omelet-recipe/ |website=Panlasang Pinoy |date=August 18, 2010 |access-date=June 9, 2020}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=Dulong Omelet Recipe (Tortang Dulong) |url=https://www.yummy.ph/recipe/dulong-omelette-recipe |website=Yummy.ph |access-date=June 9, 2020}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=15 Filipino Foods I Bet You Haven't Tried in the Philippines! |url=http://www.becomingfilipino.com/15-filipino-foods-i-bet-you-havent-tried-in-the-philippines |website=BecomingFilipino |date=March 4, 2015 |access-date=June 9, 2020}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=Small Fish with Beady Eyes… |url=http://www.marketmanila.com/archives/small-fish-with-beady-eyes |website=Market Manila |date=April 17, 2008 |access-date=June 9, 2020}}</ref> ===Giant Okoy Bilao=== A 16 foot diameter 'Giant Okoy Bilao' creation used 200 kilograms of shredded calabaza and served 2,400 visitors.<ref>{{cite news |last1= Velez|first1= Freddie|title=Giant 'okoy' draws foodies, crowd to Baliuag, Bulacan|url=https://mb.com.ph/2024/9/23/giant-okoy-draws-foodies-crowd-to-baliuag-bulacan |accessdate=September 23, 2024 |work=Manila Bulletin |date=September 23, 2024}}</ref> ==See also== *Bánh cống, a similar Vietnamese dish *Tortillitas de camarones, a similar Spanish dish
==External links== * {{commonscat-inline}} ==References== {{reflist|40em}}
{{Filipino food}} {{Doughnuts}} {{Omelettes}}
Category:Fritters Category:Omelettes Category:Shrimp dishes Category:Philippine snack food Category:Palauan cuisine Category:Cuisine of Guam Category:Deep fried foods of the Philippines Category:Philippine seafood dishes Category:Glutinous rice dishes Category:Mung bean dishes Category:Sweet potato dishes Category:Cassava dishes