Phulauri recipe - Surinamese split pea fritters

Phulauri

Phulauri are the fritters that are on the table at every Surinamese party, with a bowl of chutney next to them for dipping. Ground yellow split peas, with plenty of onion and coriander mixed in.

Grind the batter coarsely and not completely smooth. A little texture in the split peas gives the phulauri that crumbly bite inside, whereas a puréed batter becomes compact and heavy. You only stir in the baking powder at the last minute, just before frying, because that is when it starts to work.

Keep the oil at around 170 degrees, then they will cook evenly through and turn golden brown all over. If the oil is too hot, they will brown before they are cooked through inside, so let the pan cool down a little between batches. They are tastiest warm straight from the pan.