Split Pea Fritters (Pholourie)
Pholourie Say it: poh-loo-REE
Pholourie are soft, golden split-pea fritters from Trinidad, sold from street carts and made at home for gatherings, Sunday lime sessions and Hindu festivals. The batter is built on ground split peas, scented with turmeric, geera, garlic, hot pepper and bandhania, then rested and spooned into hot oil so each puff swells into a craggy ball. They taste earthy and savoury with a gentle chilli warmth, and are always dunked in sour-sweet tamarind sauce. Hot, crisp-edged and airy inside, they disappear fast.
Split Pea Fritters (Pholourie)
Pholourie
Pronounced poh-loo-REE
- Serves
- 4
- Prep
- 1 hr 25 min
- Cook
- 25 min
- Total
- 1 hr 50 min
- Level
- Easy
Also nut-free and egg-free.
Allergens: contains gluten. Check labels on packaged ingredients.
Ingredients
Amounts are scaled. Cooking times and pan sizes stay the same.
Fritters
Tamarind sauce
Method
Make the tamarind sauce first. soak the tamarind pulp in the hot water for 15 minutes, then squeeze and strain out the seeds and fibres (skip the soaking if using concentrate). Simmer the tamarind water with the sugar, garlic, hot pepper and salt for 8-10 minutes until lightly syrupy, then stir in the chopped bandhania and set aside to cool.
Stir the yeast and sugar into 1/2 cup (120 ml) of the warm water and leave 5-10 minutes until a foamy layer forms on top.
In a large bowl whisk the split pea flour, all-purpose flour, turmeric, cumin, curry powder and salt until evenly blended and no yellow streaks remain.
Add the garlic, minced hot pepper and chopped bandhania to the dry mix, then pour in the yeast mixture and the remaining 3/4 cup (180 ml) warm water. Whisk to a thick, smooth batter with no dry pockets - it should mound on a spoon and fall off slowly, like thick pancake batter.
Cover the bowl with a clean cloth and leave in a warm, draught-free spot for about 1 hour, until the batter is bubbly on the surface and has risen slightly and smells yeasty.
Heat the oil in a deep, heavy pot to 350°F (175°C) - a drop of batter should sizzle and rise to the top within a few seconds. Keep the heat steady; too hot and the centres stay raw.
Drop tablespoonfuls of batter into the oil, leaving room between them. Fry 2-3 minutes per side, turning once, until they puff up, turn deep golden brown and the edges look crisp; they should float and spin a little as they cook.
Lift the pholourie out with a slotted spoon onto paper towels and sprinkle with a little extra salt if you like. Fry the rest in batches, letting the oil come back to temperature between batches, and serve hot with the tamarind sauce.
Regional variants
Some home cooks skip the yeast and use 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder instead, resting the batter only 15 minutes for a quicker, slightly denser fritter. Others grind soaked split peas rather than using flour, giving a coarser texture; a spoonful of green seasoning is also a common addition.
Cook's notes
- Keep the oil at a steady 350°F (175°C): test with a small spoonful of batter before frying a full batch, and adjust the heat up or down as needed.
- If the batter thickens too much while standing, loosen it with a spoonful of water - it should still drop slowly from the spoon, not pour.
- Fry in small batches so the oil temperature does not drop; crowded fritters turn greasy and pale instead of puffed and crisp.
Serve with
Tamarind sauce for dipping, kuchela (green mango pickle) or a chilli-and-garlic sauce, with a cold drink or mauby on the side.
Make ahead and storage
Fry up to 2 hours ahead and reheat on a tray in a 350°F (175°C) oven for 5-6 minutes to crisp; the tamarind sauce keeps refrigerated for a week.
