Coconut Banana Fritters

Banana fritters are the great snack of Papua New Guinean markets, fried fresh in big pans of oil and sold hot in twists of paper. The batter, made with coconut milk and a pinch of salt, stays light and crisp while the banana inside turns soft and almost molten. Few things smell better than a pan of these on a market morning.

What makes these fritters great is the contrast between the shattering crust and the sweet, tender banana within. The coconut milk in the batter gives them a gentle richness that plain water batters lack, and a dusting of sugar or a scoop of coconut ice cream takes them over the top. They are dangerously easy to eat.

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