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Zitumbuwa
Zitumbuwa: Malawian banana and maize-flour fritters sold at roadside stalls
Along the roads of Lilongwe, Blantyre and the lakeshore, women fry zitumbuwa in big pots of oil early in the morning and sell them warm in paper twists: soft, sweet fritters of very ripe banana mashed with maize flour and a little sugar. They are crisp at the edges and custardy inside, perfect with sweet tea. The common mistake is using bananas that are only just yellow; you want them heavily speckled with brown for sweetness and a loose, droppable batter. Chef's tip: let the batter rest for 10 minutes so the maize flour swells, and the fritters hold their shape in the oil.
- Total time
- 30 min
- Difficulty
- easy
- Serves
- 4
Ingredients
- 4 very ripe bananasabout 450 g peeled
- 1 ⅜ oz plain flour
- 2 tbsp sugar
- 1 pinch salt
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 4 tbsp wateras needed
- 2 cups sunflower oilfor frying
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Method
0/5 doneStep 1: Mash 4 very ripe bananas in a bowl until almost smooth.
Step 2: Stir in 5 ½ oz fine white maize meal (ufa woyera), 1 ⅜ oz plain flour, 2 tbsp sugar, 1 pinch salt and 1 tsp baking powder. Add 4 tbsp water a spoonful at a time until you have a thick batter that drops slowly from a spoon. Rest for 10 minutes.
10 minStep 3: Heat 2 cups sunflower oil in a deep pan to 350°F, or until a drop of batter sizzles and rises steadily.
Step 4: Drop in heaped tablespoons of batter, 5 or 6 at a time, and fry for 3–4 minutes, turning, until deep golden brown and cooked through; break one open to check there's no wet batter in the middle.
12 minStep 5: Drain on kitchen paper and serve warm.
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 280 kcal
- Protein
- 4 g
- Carbs
- 46 g
- Fat
- 10 g
- Fibre
- 3 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does zitumbuwa take?
- About 30 minutes in total: 10 minutes to prepare and 20 minutes to cook.
- How many people does it serve?
- 4 as written. Change the servings above the ingredients and every amount scales to match.
- Is it vegan?
- Yes. It has no meat, fish, dairy or eggs.
- What can I use instead of very ripe bananas?
- 120g (½ cup) apple sauce per banana (less banana flavour).
- What can I use instead of plain flour?
- Self-raising flour, same amount (then leave out the baking powder).
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