Easy Cekodok Pisang or Mashed Banana Fritters Recipe

The author is an engineer by profession and a lover of food. In his free time, he likes to tinker around in the kitchen.

Simple Mashed Banana Fritters Recipe

This mashed banana fritters recipe is one of Malaysia's favorite afternoon snacks. It uses only two main ingredients, overripe bananas, and self-rising flour. It is simple and tasty. As the name implies, it is basically mashed overripe bananas mix with flour and deep-fried to golden nuggets.

Although there are other variations for mashed banana fritters (or known as kuih cekodok pisang or kuih kodok or jemput in Malaysia) using rice flour, normal flour, baking soda, eggs, or even baking powder, you do not actually need them.

Fried Banana Balls

Mashed banana fritters are round in shape if the flour to the banana mixture is higher. If you add the above additional ingredients, you get 'puffier' looking mashed banana fritters, just like fried banana balls. My recipe uses more bananas so it looks flatter and not rounder.

Crispy Banana Fritters

With more bananas than flour, the banans fritter has a slightly crispy outer layer but is soft and moist on the inside, and it is tastier.

As with most deep-fried food, kuih cekodok pisang is greasy. It may not look nice, but trust me, it tastes nice. Enjoy it with your afternoon cup of coffee or tea.

Cekokok Pisang or Mashed Banana Fritters Recipe: Cook Time

Ingredients

• 5 big size bananas, (over ripe or bruised bananas. You can use any eating banana or over-ripe cooking banana variety)
• 1 cup self-rising flour, (this is an estimate and will be adjusted as you add to the mixture. See below for detail)
• pinch of salt
• 3 table spoon brown sugar, (You can leave this out if your banana is of the sweet variety)
• water
• Oil for deep frying

Optional Ingredients for Cekodok Pisang or Mashed Fried Banana

Ground Cinnamon and Nutmeg: As an option, you can add a pinch of ground cinnamon and nutmeg to the mixture to give a spicy flavor. Personally, I prefer without these optional ingredients as it tastes more authentic and close to what my mum used to make.

Vanilla Extract: This is not my cup of tea but some people add vanilla extract to the banana-flour mixture. I know the Caribean style uses vanilla extract in their banana fritter recipe.

Maple Syrup: You can replace brown sugar with maple syrup, which goes well if you add vanilla extract to the mixture.

Eggs: Some people add eggs to the mixture but I prefer not to as it will end up tasting like banana cake, fried style.

Milk: If you prefer milk instead of water (I don't) then go ahead. It doesn't taste authentic and original for the Malaysian mashed banana fritters, that's all.

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Cooking Instruction

1. Peel and put the overripe bananas in a bowl. Then, mash it with a fork
2. Slowly add the self-rising flour and water until the mixture is of a consistency that can easily drop from a spoon in one lump. If you add too much flour, the end results will be hard, but well-shaped mashed banana fritters. You want a mixture that will give you a crispy skin on the outside, but soft on the inside. As different people will be using different banana variety and size, the self-rising flour amount is an estimate and will be adjusted as you pour into the mixture to get the right consistency that can easily drop from a spoon. If it is too soft and runny, then add a bit more self-rising flour. Add sugar and salt to the final mixture
3. Heat a wok or any deep frying pan. Then, add enough oil to deep fry.
4. Use a tablespoon to scoop the banana mixture into the wok (or frying pan) once the oil is medium hot. Depending on the size of your wok and the amount of oil used, you can fry four or five pieces at the same time.
5. Fry one side until it is medium brown. Then, turn over to fry the other side. This will take about 3-4 minutes.
6. Place the cooked cekodok pisang or mashed banana fritters on a kitchen paper towel.
7. Continue with step #4 until you finish all the mixture
8. You may serve it hot or cold. Enjoy.

Tips When Frying Mashed Banana Fritters

• Vegetable Oil: Vegetable oil is the best for its neutral flavor. Use only fresh oil and not previously used cooking oil.
• Cooking Oil Temperature: If cooking oil is too hot, the batter will brown before it is cook inside. If t is cold, it will soak up the oil.
• Overcrowding: Don't overcrowd the frying pan with too many fritters as this will drop the oil temperature and you end up with soggy and greasy banana fritters.

Which Banana Variety to Use

For cekokok pisang or mashed banana fritters, any eating banana variety is suitable. The Cavendish variety that you get at most supermarkets will do just fine. (Cavendish bananas are long, yellow, and slightly sweet bananas. See side photo). If you use Cavendish banana you need to add sugar to the mixture (as per above). It is best to use the over-ripe or bruised Cavendish banana.

I used the pisang raja variety as it grows in my back garden. It is already sweet on its own and I do not add additional sugar to the mixture. Another local variety that tastes good for mashed banana fritter is pisang awak.

Mashed Banana Fritters at Night Market and Street Vendors

In Malaysia, kuih cekodok pisang is usually sold by street vendors on busy streets in the afternoon. You can also buy them in the morning and at night markets.

Since the recipe and the preparation are simple, most housewives will prepare the mashed banana fritters themselves. Only the bachelor or busy working people will buy from the street vendors.

This content is accurate and true to the best of the author’s knowledge and is not meant to substitute for formal and individualized advice from a qualified professional.

© 2012 Mazlan A

Comments

Mazlan A (author) from Malaysia on February 15, 2013:

@teaches12345 Cekodok is easy to make and taste great, a bit oily though! Thanks for dropping by.

Dianna Mendez on January 05, 2013:

I have never heard of this dish before but it looks like one I would enjoy. I too love bananas and they are a really good food choice when it comes to having healthful sweets in a diet. Thanks for the education and recipe.

Mazlan A (author) from Malaysia on January 03, 2013:

Om, you should give it a try. It is simple and tasty. I think people from Southern Thailand also have this mashed banana fritter recipe.

Om Paramapoonya on January 03, 2013:

I've never had these but bet they are very yummy. They sound almost like banana donuts! I can imagine myself devour dozens of them in one sitting. LOL