Pumpkin Fritters

Pumpkin fritters are spiced pumpkin mixed into a batter and deep-fried into small golden fritters, a common Caribbean snack.

Fritters made from pumpkin are a familiar snack across the Caribbean, and they are common in Saint Kitts and Nevis too. Recipes differ in how much spice goes into the batter and how sweet the fritters taste, so one cook's version can be lighter or richer than another's.

What it really is

Pumpkin is seasoned with nutmeg and mixed into a batter of flour, sugar, egg and baking powder. The batter is thick enough to drop from a spoon. Baking powder makes it rise and puff in the hot fat, so the inside of each fritter stays light while the outside browns. Spoonfuls of batter are fried in deep oil until they turn golden and the centre is cooked through. The pumpkin gives a soft, moist texture and a mild sweetness that contrasts with the crisp crust.

Because the spice, sugar and batter proportions vary from cook to cook, the fritters can range from plain and mildly spiced to sweeter and more strongly flavoured.

How it's served

• Hot from the fryer, while the outside is still crisp.
• In small pieces that are picked up and eaten by hand.
• On their own as a snack, not as part of a main course.
• Best eaten soon after frying, since the crust softens as it cools.

How to write it on the menu

• Name the main ingredient, pumpkin, and say the fritters are deep-fried.
• Flag wheat, from the flour, and eggs, from the batter.
• List the standard recipe: pumpkin, flour, sugar, baking powder, nutmeg and egg.
• State the portion by number of pieces, and say whether a dipping sauce is served with them.
• Say which frying oil is used if a guest asks, since some fats are animal-based.