Samoan Banana Panikeke (Fried Banana Doughnuts)

Little fried donuts with a tropical flavor of bananas. As an option, I have added crushed pineapple. The traditional panikeke is made with banana and rolled in cinnamon sugar. This recipe has an optional coconut syrup to dip the panikekes in. Posted here for ZWT7.

• Ready In: 40 mins
• Serves: 12

Ingredients

• 3 1⁄2 cups flour
• 1 1⁄3 cups sugar
• 2  teaspoons baking powder
• 2  bananas (very ripe and mashed)
• 1  tablespoon vanilla
• 1 1⁄2 cups water
• 1⁄4 cup crushed pineapple (optional)
• 6  cups  oil (for frying)
•  cinnamon-sugar mixture, for rolling

• Coconut Syrup

• 1⁄3 cup water
• 1⁄3 cup sugar
• 1  cup coconut milk
• 1⁄8 teaspoon sea salt
• 1  teaspoon vanilla

Directions

1. Combine flour, sugar and baking powder, stir in bananas, pineapple (if using),vanilla extract and water to make a sticky dough.
2. Heat oil in a deep-fryer, heat to 350 degrees. (Oil should be deep enough to completely cover the panikekes or at least 3" deep).
3. Scoop up egg size dolops of dough, push off into oil, fry in small batches until they float and turn golden brown (about 3 min.), flip them over to fry on the other side, remove and drain on paper towel.
4. Rolll in a mixture of sugar and cinnamon. or dip in coconut syrup.
5. Coconut Syrup:
6. In a small sauce pan over medium heat, combine water and sugar, cook 6-8 minutes, add coconut milk, sea salt and vanilla, cook until mixture forms a slightly thick syrup.