Don Diego's Jamaican Banana Fritters

Ingredients for 4 servings:

• 3 banana(s), ripe
• 1 egg(s)
• 100 g brown sugar
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• ½ tsp ground cinnamon
• 1 pinch of ground nutmeg
• 1 pinch of salt
• 200 g flour
• 1 tbsp baking powder
• 200 ml milk, more if needed
• Oil for frying
• 2 bananas, thinly sliced
• 80 g cinnamon sugar or powdered sugar

Instructions

Working time approx. 10 minutes; Cooking/baking time approx. 20 minutes; Total time approx. 30 minutes

Jamaican-style pancakes made from overripe bananas

Overripe bananas with black spots on the skin are not thrown away in Jamaica. Their soft, sweet interior is perfect for banana pancakes, which are called “banana fritters” in Jamaica. Peel the three bananas and mash them with a fork in a bowl. In a second bowl, whisk together the egg, sugar, vanilla extract, cinnamon, and nutmeg, then stir in the banana puree until a smooth mixture forms. (As a dry German, I find half the Jamaican sugar amount is enough for me. But I think most people will prefer the original.) Now stir in the flour and baking powder. The resulting batter will be much too thick for frying, so gradually add milk until it is just viscous. 150 to 200 ml of milk should be sufficient for this. Heat a little oil in a non-stick pan and drop the batter into the pan by the spoonful over medium heat. The batter should form small pancakes with a diameter of 4-5 cm. If in doubt, use the back of a spoon to help them along. When the underside is browned, flip them. Sprinkle the finished banana fritters with cinnamon sugar or, alternatively, dust them with powdered sugar and decorate with a banana slice. If possible, eat them while they’re still warm. Preparing and frying the banana fritters practically goes effortlessly if you’ve chosen the right music. In this case, I recommend Jack Johnson, who not only finds the right, cheerful rhythms but also the right themes to effortlessly transition from recipe to full enjoyment. The song “Banana Pancakes” forms the central theme and motivates you to take action. “Upside Down” reminds you to flip the pancakes on time while they’re frying, and “The Sharing Song” reminds you of the double pleasure of sharing the warm fritters with a good friend. With that in mind: Happy cooking and happy sharing!