5 Reasons to Make Banana Fritters this summer!

Welcome back!

I hope you are all enjoying your weekend? 

I was wondering what to blog about this week when I remembered that we brought down a huge banana last week from the garden.   We tucked it in a corner in the kitchen, covered to ripen and to our amazement, they were all ready at once within one week!  Panicking about what to do in order not to waste them, my boys mentioned that I had not made Banana Fritters for a while. So here we are!  Banana Fritters for Sunday morning breakfast!

Banana Fritters is a favourite in this house.  The reason is that:

1. they are delicious and easy to make and are yummy hot or cold
2. they are inexpensive to make  and versatile and can be enjoyed at different times of the day and during special events
3. the smell of bananas and nutmeg fills up your home and makes you feel very hungry for the fritters
4. Banana fritters can be fried and stored in the fridge for a couple of days and reheated in a hot frying pan when you are ready to serve them.
5. they are a favourite of children and adults alike and are especially great for family gatherings at weekends and ‘school out’ and barbecue days when the smell is blown everywhere by the outdoor breeze.  Try this recipe which only uses one egg and some baking powder to make the fritters light and bouncy and pleasant to enjoy without that ‘EGGY’ taste.  Please don’t forget to include the children in making this.  Here is what you have to do:

Difficulty and servings

Easy, makes about 30 medium-sized fritters

Preparation and Cooking times

Preparation time:  20 minutes: Frying time: @ 40 minutes

To make the Fritters,

You will need:

6-7 large Bananas, mashed

120g -150g granulated Sugar (depending on your sweetness tolerance)

1tbs soft Margarine

1 large Egg, beaten

300ml fresh Milk

A pinch of Salt to taste

300g all-purpose Flour, sifted

1 tsp Baking Powder

1 small freshly grated Nutmeg (about 1 tbs)

Oil for frying

Method:

1. Peel the skin off the bananas and roughly mash with a sturdy fork in a deep bowl. Add the sugar, margarine, beaten egg, milk and salt and mix all together well.
2. Add the flour, a bit at a time and continue mixing until it’s all done and the batter looks smooth. Add the baking powder and the grated nutmeg.  Stir well and set aside.
3. Heat a large frying pan on medium heat and add about 1 tbs of oil at a time, ensuring that the oil covers the base of the pan completely.
4. When the oil is hot, lower the heat and use a ladle to collect and drop the batter in the pan, spaced out, 2 or 3 at a time.  Turn fritters when the batter sets and the bottom starts turning brown. Fry until golden brown and until the batter feels light.  Arrange on a large plate and keep warm  
5. When the fritters are all done, serve hot with tea, coffee, a peanut sauce or any preferred accompaniment of your choice.

Monica’s Tips:

This is fun to make so get the help of the kids.

If using canned milk, pour about half into a measuring cup and top it up with water up to the 300ml mark, stir and use.  Please be aware that you do not need more than 1 large egg to make these fritters. 1 egg plus enough nutmeg will ensure that the fritters are pleasant to eat and not ‘eggy’.  Also note that the addition of the baking powder makes the batter light and bouncy and altogether pleasant to enjoy!

 I would like to know how you get on when you make these Banana Fritters.  Please drop me a line with your pictures, if possible, through www.africaonyourplate.simplesite.com

Happy entertaining!

Monica Serwah Busia