Vitumbuwa

Vitumbuwa are small sweet fried cakes made from a batter of flour, sugar and milk, sold as a snack in Zambia and Malawi. The snack is found in both countries, so it is a shared dish rather than one from a single place. It is eaten as a light snack, usually while still warm from the oil.

What it really is

The batter is made from flour, sugar and milk, with egg and baking powder added to lift it and give it body. A spoonful of batter is dropped into hot frying oil, where it puffs and turns golden brown. The finished cake is small, round and sweet all the way through.

Recipes differ from one kitchen to the next in the amount of sugar, the quantity of milk and how long the cakes are fried, so the texture and sweetness can vary a good deal. The frying makes them rich in fat and energy, so the nutrition figures for this dish are a guide rather than exact.

How it's served

• Warm and freshly fried, eaten by hand as a snack.
• Sold by the piece or in small portions, so the count matters more than the weight.
• Plain and sweet, with no savoury filling in the classic version.

How to write it on the menu

• Name the dish as vitumbuwa and describe it as small fried sweet cakes made with wheat flour, milk and egg.
• Flag wheat, milk and eggs. They are in the batter, so every piece contains all three.
• Say how many pieces make a serving, since the cakes are small and guests compare portions by count.
• State that the cakes are deep-fried, so guests who avoid fried food can decide before they order.
• If you sell them as a dessert rather than a snack, say how sweet they are, because sugar levels differ between kitchens.