Banana and Apple Fritters

A few days ago, I was thinking what to bake for the afternoon snack. Nothing. I didn't want to bake anything. I've been making doughnuts, so there was a pot of cooking oil that I really needed to use up. I spotted one large banana and remembered how I luv my dad's deep fried bananas.

When my dad made the batter for the fritters, he didn't measure the ingredients. He would make the batter and made adjustments to the batter as he deep fried the bananas. He did tell me once that using rice flour will make the fritters crispier and using coconut milk will make them aromatic. My dad also deep fried sweet potatoes and taro roots, cutting them into 1/4 inch or 1/2 inch thick .

I decided to use William Sonoma's banana fritters recipe as a guide. I also tested the batter with apple slices. I added ground cinnamon and a pitch of nutmeg into my batter, but these two spices can be omitted. If seltzer water is not available, just substitute it with coconut milk. I also fried up some avocado slices, and they tasted really creamy. Since I sprinkled sea salt on them, I'd consider serving them up as appetizer. The fritters turned out to be a very satisfying deep fried dessert.

Banana and Apple Fritters
serves 4-6
adapted from William Sonoma's Banana Fritters

vegetable oil for frying
1/4 cup (1.25 oz) all-purpose flour (King Arthur)
1/4 cup (1 oz) rice flour (Erawan - 3 elephants)
1/4 teaspoon baking powder (Feather's Weight)
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon grounded cinnamon
pitch of grounded nutmeg
1 1/2 Tablespoons sugar
1/2 Tablespoon palm sugar
1/2 cup (4 oz) coconut cream (Aroy-D)
1/4 cup (2 oz) seltzer water
1 large banana
Half of 1 large granny smith apple
confectioner's (or powdered) sugar for dusting

1. Pour vegetable oil (about 2 inches deep) into a wok or a pot.
2. Heat the oil until the thermometer register between 350°F to 360°F degrees.
3. While the oil is heating, whisk together the flours, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, nutmeg, and sugar in a large bowl.
4. Without shaking a can of coconut milk, open the can then scoop out the top layer (the coconut cream) into the flour mixture. Whisk until the batter is thick.
5. Add seltzer water and whisk until just combine.
6. Peel a banana and slice it diagonally to 1/2 inch thick. Set aside.
7. Peel, core, and half an apple. Then slice the it to 1/4 thickness. Set aside.
8. Once the oil is ready, coat each banana or apple slice with the batter.
9. Drop it into the hot oil and fry 1 minute per side. Note: Only fry 4 to 6 slices at a time. Keep checking the thermometer, making sure the oil is between 350°F to 360°F degrees.
10. Take the fritters out of the oil and on to a cooling tray to let them drain.
11. After the oil registers between 350°F to 360°F degrees, repeat step 8 to 10. Note: If there is still leftover batter, drop it randomly into the oil to make crispy batter. Seriously yummilicious!!!
12. Dust the fritters with powdered sugar and enjoy them with a glass of lemonade or ice cold water.

Allergy Info: My fritters are free from or can be made without dairy, eggs, corn, legumes (soy), nuts (not coconut), and fish. Keep in mind that if the apples are waxed and the bananas are gassed, then they are most likely not corn free. What I learned from people who have severe corn allergy is that it is best to buy fruits from the local farmers who might not wax or gas their produce.