Name: West African-Style Field Pea Fritters
Prep time: 30 min
Cook time: 20 min
Total time: 50 min
Yield: 4 servings
Cuisine: West African
Ingredients: 300 g white field peas, soaked overnight; 1 small onion, roughly chopped; 1 chilli, to taste; 1 teaspoon fine salt; as needed oil, for deep frying; 100 to 150 ml water, as needed for blending; 1 a blender or food processor; 1 a deep, heavy pot for frying

Before you cook

The skins have to come off. Left on, they weigh the batter down and the fritters end up dense rather than airy.

Whip the batter hard before frying. Air worked into the mixture is what makes these puff up rather than sit flat in the oil.

Method

Drain the soaked peas and rub them between your hands to loosen the skins.
Cover with fresh water and skim off the loosened skins as they float.
Repeat several times until the peas are mostly pale and skin-free.
Drain well and blend with the onion, chilli and a little water.
Blend to a thick, smooth batter, adding water sparingly as needed.
Whip the batter hard with a spoon for several minutes to add air.
It should lighten in colour and roughly double in apparent volume.
Stir in the salt only once the whipping is finished.
Heat oil to a moderate frying temperature and drop in spoonfuls.
Fry until deep golden and puffed, turning each fritter once partway through.
Lift out onto kitchen paper to drain any excess oil before serving warm.

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