Hush Puppies — Southern Cornmeal Fritters

Whisk the cornmeal, flour, baking powder, baking soda, sugar, and salt together in a large bowl. The baking soda should be evenly distributed with no lumps; any lump will make the fritter around it taste bitter.

Whisk the egg with the buttermilk, add the grated onion and its juice, and pour into the center of the dry mixture. Stir with a spoon just until no flour is visible—15 seconds is enough. Overmixing develops the gluten and makes the balls tough. The batter should fall slowly from the spoon.

Heat the oil in a deep pot to 175°C / 345°F. If you do not have a thermometer, drop in a little batter: the temperature is right if it rises to the surface immediately and a ring of bubbles forms around it. If it sinks and rises slowly, the oil is too cool; if it darkens at once, the oil is too hot.

Use two 5 ml measures to scoop walnut-size portions, lowering them close to the oil as you drop them in—a high drop makes the batter splash and form tails. Fry no more than 6 balls at a time; crowding cools the oil. After 3 minutes, the bottoms of the balls will be golden. Turn them with a slotted spoon and cook for 2 minutes more. Transfer them to a wire rack, not paper towels; the towels trap steam and soften the bottoms.