Banana Puff Puff
West African (Nigerian) deep-fried yeasted dough balls sweetened and flavored with mashed banana and nutmeg.
Ingredients
| 1 cup (240 ml) | warm water | |
| 2 1/4 teaspoon (7 g) | active dry yeast (1 packet) | |
| 1/4 - 1/2 cup (50-100 g) | sugar | |
| 1 teaspoon | 5 ml | salt |
| 2 | large bananas, mashed (about 1 1/4 cup) | |
| 3 cups (360 g) | flour | |
| 1 teaspoon | 5 ml | nutmeg |
| — | oil for deep-frying |
Instructions
- In a large bowl add the warm water, salt, sugar and yeast. Set aside for 5 minutes.
- Then add the mashed bananas and mix with a wooden spoon or hands (preferably), followed by the flour and nutmeg. Mix well until the flour and bananas have been fully incorporated.
- Set the mixture in a warm area and let it rise and double in size - approximately 1-2 hours.
- In a large saucepan pour vegetable oil until it is at least 3 inches (about 5 centimeters) high (too little will result in flatter balls), and place on medium heat until the oil is 375 degrees.
- The dough is going to be sticky, so use your hands to grab a little bit of mixture at a time and drop it in the oil, or use a spoon to scoop up the batter and another spoon or spatula to drop it in the oil, sort of in the shape of a ball. Do not overcrowd the pan. Do so in batches.
- Fry for a few minutes until the bottom side is golden brown.
- Turn the ball over and fry for a few more minutes until the other side is golden brown.
- Use a large spoon or slotted spoon to take it out of the oil.
- Place them on napkins right away to drain excess oil.