Ingredients
About 6 cups neutral-flavored oil (such as peanut or safflower
2 heads Bibb or butter lettuce or 3 heads Little Gem lettuce
1 bunch fresh Thai basil or regular basil, leaves only
1 bunch fresh mint, leaves only
1 small red onion, halved and thinly sliced
1 jar (11 to 15 oz.) sweet Thai chile sauce
1 bunch fresh cilantro, leaves only
2 scallions, coarsely chopped
1-inch piece of fresh ginger, peeled and sliced
2 large cloves garlic, crushed
2 to 3 fresh red Thai chiles, stemmed
2 limes, 1 juiced (about 2 tbsp.) and 1 cut into wedges for serving
Salt
1 ¼ cups flour
¾ cup cornmeal
1 rounded tbsp. Old Bay Seasoning
1 tbsp. baking powder
1 cup milk
3 large eggs
2 ears corn, kernels cut from cobs; or 1 rounded cup frozen fire-roasted corn kernels, thawed
1 lb. lump crabmeat or king crab leg meat, picked over for shell bits and cartilage (you will need 2 lb. of king crab legs)
Directions
Step 1
In a deep-fryer or Dutch oven, heat the oil over medium to medium-high until a deep-fry thermometer registers 350°.
Step 2
Arrange the lettuce, herbs, and onion on a platter or on plates. Pour the chile sauce into a bowl.
Step 3
In a food processor, pulse the cilantro, scallions, ginger, garlic, chiles, and lime juice into a finely chopped paste; season with salt.
Step 4
In a large bowl, whisk the flour, cornmeal, Old Bay, baking powder, and about 2 tsp. salt.
Step 5
In a medium bowl, whisk the milk and eggs.
Step 6
Add the cilantro paste and eggs to the dry ingredients. Stir in the corn and crab. Working in batches and using a 1-oz. (2-tbsp.) scoop, carefully drop the batter into the oil, about 7 fritters at a time. Cook until the fritters are golden brown and cooked through, about 5 minutes per batch. Transfer to a wire rack or paper towels to drain. Return the oil to 350° between batches.
Step 7
Pile the fritters on the platter alongside the lettuce, herbs, and onion. Fill the lettuce leaves with the fritters and top with the chile sauce. Serve with the lime wedges for squeezing over the fritters.