Pholourie (pronounced follo-wree) is a fried sweet snack found on most Caribbean islands.
It’s also known as “fried bread” or “currybread,” but it can be eaten plain or dipped into sauces like honey mustard sauce, garlic butter sauce, rum raisin sauce, or chili sauce.
Pholourie is typically made using a combination of flours, including wheat flour, cornmeal, rice flour, tapioca starch, potato starch, and even ground oats, depending on what part of the Caribbean region it originated in.
What Are The Ingredients For Pholourie?
The main ingredient in pholourie is always some kind of thickening agent that helps to hold everything together so that it doesn’t fall apart when frying.
- Flour – This provides structure and elasticity to help maintain shape during cooking.
- Water – Water adds moisture and flavor while acting as the primary binder.
- Baking powder – Baking powder contains leavening agents that cause bubbles to form when mixed with liquid. The bubbles provide lift to the batter, which helps prevent the mixture from sinking too far down in the pan.
- Salt – Salt gives food its savory taste by adding osmotic pressure to draw out more water from foods.
- Curry powder – Curry powder has been used throughout the world since ancient times because of its ability to add flavor without overpowering other spices.
These basic ingredients are combined to create a batter that will fry up nicely into a golden brown treat!
How Do You Make Pholourie?
The basic formula for making pholourie includes these five main ingredients:
- 1 cup all purpose flour
- ½ cup white rice flour
- ¼ teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon salt
- A pinch of cayenne pepper
- Water to mix
To prepare the batter, add the first three ingredients to a bowl, then stir well until they form a smooth paste.
Add the fourth ingredient, followed by the fifth, mixing them together thoroughly before adding the required amount of water.
Mixing will help ensure that your pholourie batter has enough consistency to hold its shape when frying.
The mixture should not have any lumps because if left unattended, they could burn during cooking.
If you prefer to use frozen biscuits instead of fresh ones, place them directly onto an oven tray lined with parchment paper and bake at 350 degrees Fahrenheit (180 Celsius) for about 10 minutes.
Remove the biscuits from the oven once they have cooled down completely.
If desired, dip each one in melted butter before serving.
Next, pour some oil into a deep fryer pot or wok set over medium heat.
Gently lower the biscuits into the hot oil while trying to prevent them from sticking to each other.
Once the biscuits float to the top of the oil, remove them and drain them on a clean kitchen towel.
Repeat this process until all of the biscuits are cooked.
Once the biscuits are ready, coat them lightly in flour and shake off excess flour.
Next, dunk the biscuits in the prepared batter and allow them to soak up a little bit more before placing them back into the hot oil.
Fry the biscuits until golden brown, turning them halfway through so that both sides get evenly colored.
Remove them from the oil and drain them again on a clean kitchen towel.
Serve immediately!
What Is The History Of Pholourie?
The origin of pholourie remains unclear to this day.
Some believe that it was created by enslaved Africans who were brought over to work plantations in Barbados during sugar cane production.
Other people believe that the name comes from the French word for “to roll out.”
The process involves rolling flat pieces of dough until they form sheets about 1/4 inch thick and then frying them.
Others claim that pholourie has ties to West African cuisine because it contains ingredients similar to those used in Ghanaian cuisine.
Regardless of its origin, pholourie has become an iconic food on all of the Caribbean Islands.
And today, it still remains one of the island’s favorite snacks.
What Are Some Variations Of Pholourie?
There are many different types of pholourie recipes.
Some use just white flour, while others may have other ingredients added such as dried mangoes, sesame seeds, coconut oil, brown sugar, milk, banana chips, chocolate chips, almonds, cashews, and more.
There are also several regional variants that differ slightly from island to island.
Stuffing
- 1 cup of all purpose flour
- ¼ teaspoon of salt
- ½ teaspoon of baking soda
- ⅔ cup of chicken broth
- 1 egg
Mix together all dry ingredients and then add the chicken broth and the beaten egg.
Mix well and knead for about 10 minutes until smooth.
Coconut Rice
- 1 ½ cups of uncooked jasmine rice
- 1 tablespoon of vegetable shortening
- 2 tablespoons of unsweetened desiccated coconut
- Salt to taste
- Pepper to taste
- Sugar to taste
- 4 cups of boiling water
Cook the rice according to package directions.
Drain off excess liquid.
Add remaining ingredients to the cooked rice and mix well.
Place mixture in a greased 9×13 pan and bake at 350 degrees Fahrenheit for 30 minutes.
Serve warm.
Lentil Stew
- 1 pound of lentils
- 1 large onion chopped
- 5 cloves of garlic minced
- 1 green bell pepper cut into strips
- ½ teaspoon cumin
- 1/8 teaspoon black pepper
- 6 cups of vegetable stock
- 1 bay leaf
Combine all ingredients except the vegetable stock in a large pot over high heat.
Bring the mixture to a boil, reduce heat, cover, and simmer for 1 hour.
When done, remove the lid and allow the mixture to cool down.
Once cooled, strain out any impurities and discard them.
Return the broth back to the pot and bring to a boil.
Reduce heat again and slowly pour in the vegetable stock.
Allow this stew to cook for another 2 hours before serving.
Fried Fish
- 1 cup of all purpose flour
- 1 egg
- ⅛ teaspoon of salt
- ⅛ teaspoon of freshly ground black pepper
- ⅓ cup of yellow corn meal
- 1 small red bell pepper diced
- 1 medium sized boneless fish fillet
- Oil for frying
In a shallow bowl, combine the flour, salt, and pepper.
In another shallow bowl beat the egg.
Coat each piece of fish thoroughly with the flour.
Dip each coated fish into the egg batter, letting the excess drip off.
Next coat the pieces of fish in the corn meal.
Heat enough oil in a skillet to fry approximately 4 pieces of fish at a time.
Fry the fish for 3 minutes per side.
Remove fish from the hot oil onto paper towels to drain.
What Are Some Popular Ways To Eat Pholourie?
There are many different types of pholouries that people enjoy around the world.
Some favorites include:
- Coconut pholourie – This type of pholourie uses coconut oil instead of vegetable oil for frying. The coconut flavor adds an extra layer of sweetness to this savory treat.
- Rum pholourie – Rum has been used since colonial times to spice up dishes and beverages, so why not use it as a flavoring agent when making pholourie? This version gets its distinctive taste from the addition of dark rum.
- Rice pholourie – Rice flour provides additional texture and richness to this traditional sweet snack.
- Soybean pholourie – Soybeans provide protein and fiber to help your body absorb more nutrients while you’re eating this delicious snack!
- Vegetable pholourie – Vegetables add variety to this classic dessert without taking away from the original flavor profile.
How Long Does Pholourie Last?
A good homemade batch of pholourie lasts up to two weeks if stored properly, but fresh pholourie will keep for about four days at room temperature.
The longer it sits, the more the flavor deteriorates and becomes stale.
You can store leftover pholourie in an airtight container in the refrigerator for several months, though.
If you want to make extra batches of pholourie, just double the recipe below!
You can cut down on waste by freezing your pholourie in individual portions so that each portion has its own wrapper.
It’ll take slightly longer to thaw out than it would to defrost raw food, but it’s still pretty quick.
- 1 cup all purpose flour
- ¾ teaspoon instant yeast
- ⅛ teaspoon salt
- ⅛ teaspoon sugar
- 1½ cups whole milk
- 3 tablespoons vegetable oil
- 2 teaspoons curry powder
- 2 eggs, beaten until smooth
- Vegetable oil cooking spray
- Honey mustard sauce, Garlic butter sauce, Rum Raisin Sauce, Chili Sauce (optional)
Combine dry ingredients in a large bowl.
Add wet mixture and stir well to combine.
Cover batter with plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight.
Let rise again before frying.
Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
Spray a cookie sheet with nonstick cooking spray.
Remove risen and chilled batter from fridge.
Pour batter onto prepared pan and let rise for 15 minutes.
Bake for approximately 20 minutes, or until golden brown and puffy.
Cool on wire rack.
Cut cooled pholourie into bite sized pieces and coat them lightly with vegetable oil.
Wrap individually in wax paper and place in the freezer.
They should stay frozen for three to five months.
Can You Freeze Pholourie?
You definitely can! I have done it myself several times, and my friends who make their own pholourie often do so to take for lunch when they don’t feel like cooking, but want something fast.
The key to freezing pholourie without losing any flavor or texture is to use only a small amount of oil when frying.
You should fry your pholourie just until golden brown before putting them in the freezer.
The same goes for dipping — if you dip too early, the outside will get soggy, while the inside won’t cook through properly.
Wait until the inside is golden brown before removing the pieces from the pan.
If you let the outside get dark before you remove the pieces, it will taste burnt and bitter.
When thawed out, put your frozen pholourie back in the fridge for about an hour to rest before serving.
You can store leftover pieces in plastic bags in the refrigerator for up to two weeks.
How Many Calories Are In Pholourie?
The amount of calories in pholourie varies by brand, so we don’t know exactly how many calories it contains.
However, according to nutritiondata.com, it has 2 grams of protein per serving — which isn’t a lot compared to other foods, especially if it’s deep-fried.
Ingredients
- 1 cup all purpose flour
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon sugar
- ⅛ teaspoon cayenne pepper
- ¾ cup water
- Curry powder
Directions
- Mix together the dry ingredients (flour, salt, sugar, and cayenne). Mix well and set aside.
- Combine the wet ingredients (water and curry powder), and stir until smooth. If needed, add more water to make sure the batter is thin enough to pour easily.
- Add the batter slowly to a hot frying pan over medium heat. The batter should bubble up immediately when added to the pan.
- Fry for 3 minutes on each side or until golden brown. Remove and drain on paper towels.
Is Pholourie Healthy?
The nutritional value of pholourie depends on how you choose to prepare it.
If you eat pholourie straight out of the fryer without any additional ingredients, then yes, it will have a lot of fat and very few nutrients.
However, if you dip your pholourie in one of the aforementioned sauces, then the amount of added fats will decrease significantly while increasing the number of vitamins and minerals that you consume.
Also, unlike many other fried foods, such as deep-fried chicken nuggets, which contain high amounts of saturated fats, there isn’t much evidence that suggests that eating too much pholourie increases your risk for heart disease or obesity.
In fact, studies show that people who frequently eat pholourie tend to be leaner than those who don’t eat it at all.
One study published by The New England Journal of Medicine showed that children who ate pholourie regularly had lower body mass index scores when compared to their counterparts who didn’t eat them often.
This means that they were less likely to become obese.
Another study conducted by researchers at the University of Toronto concluded that pholourie consumption may help prevent obesity among women aged 20–60 years old.
They found that women who consumed more than 2 servings of pholourie per week were 30% less likely to develop diabetes compared to women who ate less than 1 serving of pholourie per month.
In addition, another study reported in the Journal of Nutrition revealed that consuming just ½ cup of homemade pholourie daily can reduce the risk of stroke by 27%.
Researchers believe that this occurs because pholourie contains fiber and antioxidants that help reduce blood sugar levels and increase insulin sensitivity.
What Are Some Other Recipes Similar To Pholourie?
The name pholourie came about because this popular treat was originally sold by street vendors who would cook small batches of fresh pholourie at home.
Since then, many different variations have been created that use different ingredients such as coconut milk, sugar, brown sugar, molasses, bananas, pineapple juice, and more.
Here are some other recipes you might want to try for your next party:
- Chocolate Chip Pumpkin Muffins (Vegan)
- Peanut Butter Chocolate Cupcakes (Gluten-Free)
- Banana Bread Cookies (No Bake)
- Caribbean Rum Cake (Dairy Free)
Ingredients for pholourie recipe
- 1 cup all purpose flour
- ½ cup whole wheat flour
- ¼ cup cornstarch
- ⅓ teaspoon salt
- ⅛ teaspoon nutmeg
- ⅛ teaspoon cinnamon
- ⅛ teaspoon ginger
- ⅛ teaspoon cloves
- ⅛ teaspoon black pepper
- 1 tablespoon baking powder
- 1 ½ cups plus 1 tablespoon lukewarm water
- 4 tablespoons oil
- Curry Powder to taste
- 1 banana peeled and cut into chunks
- 1 ripe mango diced
- 2 scallions chopped finely
- ¾ cup pecan halves roughly chopped
- ½ cup shredded unsweetened coconut
- 1/8 cup granulated sugar
- Salt to taste
- Pinch of cayenne
How to make pholourie recipe
- In a medium bowl sift together the dry ingredients.
- Add water and stir until there aren’t any clumps.
- Heat up 4 tbsp of oil in a skillet over high heat. Once hot add the wet ingredients and mix well.
- Once mixed pour batter out onto a greased cookie sheet and spread evenly.
- Cook for 7 minutes on each side or until golden brown.
- Allow to cool before serving.
- Serve warm.
Ingredients
- ½ cup dry split peas
- 4-5 garlic cloves
- 2 wiri wiri pepper
- ¼ tsp turmeric
- ½ tsp curry powder
- ½ tsp geera
- ½ tsp salt
- ½ tsp yeast
- ¾ cup flour
- Oil for frying
Instructions
- Dry split peas are soaked in a bowl with about 1 1/2 cups of water. Leaving this for the night The peas will double in size by morning.
- Drain the peas of their water in the morning. Peas, garlic, pepper, or pepper sauce, and enough water to cover the peas should all be placed in a blender. Blend on high until smooth.
- Add the contents to a bowl for mixing. All of the dry spices should now be added and mixed thoroughly. Add flour, yeast, and baking powder. Completely combine.
- For a period of one to two hours, cover the batter.
- Heat a sufficient amount of oil in a frying pan to cover the bottom of the pan.
- It’s tough to drop the batter into the oil with two spoons, and your pholourie balls won’t turn out as perfectly round as you’d like them to. In order for the batter to pass through your thumb and pointer finger, take some batter in your hand and make a fist with it. You can use the photo up top as a reference. If the batter doesn’t immediately pop up when you drop it into the hot oil, your oil isn’t hot enough. The pholourie balls should be turned while they are frying so that they brown evenly.
- Repeat this procedure until all of your batter has been consumed.
- Serve with lime sour, mango achar, tamarind sour, or any other spicy condiment of your choice.
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My blog is all about creating delicious meals with ingredients that are easy to find in your local grocery store. I’m passionate about making yummy meals that I can share with my friends and family.