Puff Puff

Ingredients

• 3 cups of plain flour (all-purpose flour)
• 1/2 cup of white sugar
• 1 teaspoon of instant dry yeast
• 1/2 teaspoon of ground nutmeg
• 1/2 teaspoon of salt
• 1 cup of warm water (approximately warm temperature — not hot, not cold)
• Vegetable oil for deep-frying

Method

1. 01

   Mixing the Batter. In a large bowl, combine the plain flour, sugar, salt and ground nutmeg. Stir the dry ingredients together.

2. 02

   Activating the Yeast. Dissolve the instant yeast in the warm water and stir briefly. Pour this mixture into the dry ingredients gradually, stirring with a wooden spoon or your hand until you obtain a smooth, thick batter with no lumps. The batter should be thick enough to hold its shape on a spoon but soft enough to drop off when tipped. If too thick, add a little more water; if too thin, add a little more flour.

3. 03

   Proving (Rising). Cover the bowl with a clean cloth or cling film and leave in a warm place for 30 to 45 minutes. The batter will rise and become bubbly — this is the yeast activating and is what gives Puff Puff its characteristic lightness.

4. 04

   Heating the Oil. Pour vegetable oil into a deep pan to a depth of at least 5 centimetres. Heat to moderate-to-hot heat to hot oven heat over medium flame. The oil must be properly hot before you begin frying.

5. 05

   Shaping & Frying. Wet your hand or use a round tablespoon or ice cream scoop. Scoop the batter and drop rounded balls into the hot oil. The balls should be roughly the size of a golf ball. Fry in batches without overcrowding. Turn the Puff Puff with a slotted spoon every 30 to 45 seconds so they colour evenly. Fry for 3 to 5 minutes until deep golden-brown all over.

6. 06

   Draining. Remove with a slotted spoon and drain on paper towels. Serve hot.

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