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1
Bloom the Yeast & Mix the Batter
10 Mins
Warm water at about 40°C (104°F)
Stir the sugar into the warm water, sprinkle the yeast over the top and leave it for 5 minutes until it turns frothy. Meanwhile whisk the all-purpose flour, split pea flour, baking powder, turmeric, cumin, curry powder and salt in a large bowl, then stir in the onion, garlic, scotch bonnet and cilantro. Pour in the yeasty water and mix until you have a thick, sticky batter with no dry flour left.
If the yeast does not froth, it is dead: start again with a fresh packet, or the fritters will come out flat and dense.
Done when: The batter is thick and sticky, falls slowly from a spoon, and the yeast water on top was frothy before mixing.
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2
Rest the Batter Until Bubbly
45 Mins
Warm spot at about 24°C (75°F)
Cover the bowl with a clean cloth or cling film and leave it in a warm spot for 45 minutes. The batter should rise, puff up and show bubbles on the surface. Give it one gentle stir to knock it down just before frying; do not beat the air out of it.
On a cool day, set the bowl in an oven with just the light on, or on top of the fridge where it is warm.
Done when: The batter has visibly risen and is full of small bubbles; a spoon dragged through it leaves a trail that slowly fills in.
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3
Heat the Oil
5 Mins
Medium-high heat, oil at 175°C (350°F)
Pour the oil into a deep, heavy pot to a depth of about 8 cm and heat it to 175°C (350°F). Test with a small drop of batter: it should sizzle at once and rise to the surface within a few seconds.
Use a thermometer if you have one: oil that is too cool makes greasy fritters, and oil that is too hot burns the outside before the middle cooks.
Done when: The oil shimmers and a test drop of batter sizzles and rises immediately.
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4
Fry the Fritters Until Golden
15 Mins
Oil at 175°C (350°F)
Wet your hand, scoop up a small handful of batter and squeeze it through your thumb and forefinger so a ball about 4 cm across drops into the oil, or drop rounded tablespoons of batter in. Fry 6 to 8 at a time for 3 to 4 minutes per batch, turning once, until deep golden all over. Lift them out with a slotted spoon and drain on a wire rack or paper towels, letting the oil come back to 175°C (350°F) between batches.
Do not crowd the pot: too many fritters at once drops the oil temperature and they soak up grease instead of crisping.
Done when: The fritters are deep golden and crisp outside, puffed and steaming inside, and a skewer pushed into the centre comes out hot.
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5
Serve Hot with Chutney
5 Mins
Serve hot, above 63°C (145°F)
Pile the hot pholourie on a plate or into a paper bag, the way Guyanese vendors serve them, and set out tamarind chutney and mango sour for dipping. Eat them within 10 minutes, while the crust is still crisp.
Fritters wait for no one: they are at their best hot from the oil, so fry the last batch as everyone sits down.
Done when: The outside is crisp and crackling, the inside is soft and steaming, and the chutney is ready on the side.
auto_awesome Finishing Touches & Plating
Serve the pholourie piled high and still hot, with a bowl of tamarind chutney in the middle of the table for dipping, and let everyone help themselves.
Guyana
4h 10m
Spain
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