Crispy banana fritters (pisang goreng wijen)

Dec 01 2022

Treat the family to Indonesian-style banana fritters for dessert. They’re cooked using a batter that includes sesame seeds for added crunch

Ingredients

neutral oil, like rapeseed, sunflower or vegetable, for deep-frying
10
ripe apple or saba bananas, peeled (see tip, below), or 5 overripe plantains, peeled and halved (or cut into thirds if they’re very big)
100
g plain flour
50
g rice flour
¼
tsp baking powder
2
tbsp white sesame seeds

Step 1
Pour the oil into a saucepan to a depth of 5cm and heat to 170C. (If you don’t have a temperature probe, see step 2.) Meanwhile, mix the batter ingredients with 200ml ice-cold water and ¼ tsp salt in a large bowl until fully combined.
Step 2
Check the oil is ready. If you don’t have a temperature probe, drop in a little batter – it should sizzle immediately. Dip a piece of banana into the batter. Gently lower into the oil and fry until crisp and golden brown, about 3 mins. Repeat with all the banana pieces and batter, regulating the oil temperature so that it doesn’t get too hot. Put the cooked fritters on a baking tray in a low oven to keep warm, then drain on a cooling rack over a baking tray lined with kitchen paper.