Panikeke

Panikeke is a small Samoan fritter of flour and coconut milk, deep-fried and often dusted with sugar. It is the local name for this sweet fried dough from Samoa, which sits between a plain doughnut and a fritter and is usually eaten as a snack rather than as a meal.

What it really is

Panikeke is made from a soft dough of flour, baking powder, sugar and coconut milk. Small portions are shaped by hand, dropped into hot oil and deep-fried until they puff and turn golden. The coconut milk gives the dough a mild, creamy flavour and a softer crumb than a plain flour fritter. Recipes vary in how much sugar goes into the dough and in the shape, so a panikeke may be round or ring-shaped and may be a little irregular.

Sugar is often sprinkled over the fried pieces while they are still hot, so the sweetness sits on the outside. The inside stays only lightly sweet, which keeps the fritter from tasting like a cake.

How it's served

• Warm and freshly fried, while the outside is still crisp.
• Dusted with sugar, or plain when the sugar is offered separately.
• Small enough to eat by hand, as a snack or with a drink.

How to write it on the menu

• Name it as panikeke and add a short note that it is a Samoan fried dough, so guests know what they are ordering.
• Flag wheat, since the flour is wheat, and say whether the batter contains egg or dairy.
• Name the coconut milk, because some guests avoid coconut, and say whether the sugar is dusted on or served on the side.
• State the frying oil, since guests with dietary rules often ask which oil is used.
• Say how many pieces make up a serving, because portion sizes vary between kitchens.