Breadfruit Fritters

It has become painfully obvious that the entire world is suffering from inflation, and St. Vincent is certainly not exempt from serious hikes in the price of goods! What used to cost $20.00 EC has risen to $100.00 – it’s pretty hard to fill a small grocery bag for less than $100.00 – and it’s quite worrisome. The country has become far too reliant on imported goods, goods that are getting increasingly expensive and aren’t even particularly healthy. It’s a pity such foods are being sold in the grocery stores when there are local products that can and should be used to feed families, and now is the time to learn how to prepare them.

For example, a good-sized breadfruit usually costs $5.00 EC, and it grows in abundance in St. Vincent. Why spend money on imported English potatoes, which by the time they get to grocery shelves in this country are well past their prime? I have grown weary of buying such potatoes only to find that half of them have rotted, and now use breadfruit as an alternative starch. It’s an amazingly versatile fruit, costs very little and is easy to use if you know what to do with it, especially once you have learned the trick of keeping a bowl of mashed breadfruit your refrigerator.

To make the mash, I peel, cube and then boil the breadfruit in some salted water until it’s tender. I then mash it the way I would mash potatoes, adding butter (or garlic butter if preferred) to moisten it. Once cooled, the breadfruit mash can be covered and refrigerated for long periods of time. The only imported ingredient added is the butter, and as I don’t add much the cost is negligible. I doubt I will get around to buying a cow in order to make my own, but with the soaring cost of butter I’m sorely tempted!

I often make breadfruit fritters and, because they are so good, I am sharing the recipe. They are simple to make and delicious, especially if you have access to fresh herbs. You will need:

Breadfruit mash (about 2 cups), 2 eggs, fresh chives and sweet basil, a diced onion, a handful of flour and a heaping tsp. baking powder, salt and ground black pepper and vegetable oil for frying. First, thoroughly combine the eggs and breadfruit mash, then stir in the fresh herbs and onions. If desired, throw in some finely chopped flavour pepper too. Add the flour and baking soda with some salt and pepper, just enough flour to bind the ingredients.

Heat some oil in a heavy pot, enough so the fritters can float. Add the breadfruit mixture to the oil with a spoon, and keep turning until fritters are browned on both sides. You’ll notice when you remove the fritters from the pot that they are quite non-greasy, the breadfruit seems to repel the oil rather magically. The same pot of oil, if covered, can be used several times so don’t throw it away! Serve the fritters along with your meal instead of potatoes, they are WAY tastier and healthier too!

BUT – the fun isn’t over! You can add pretty well anything to the breadfruit mash – chicken, fish, shrimp, lobster, conch, ham or whatever else you have at hand. Smaller fritters can be served with a dipping sauce as a party appetizer and will always be popular, they are truly delicious. My advice? Grow an herb garden, raise a few chickens and start eating more food that is locally grown. The less dependent the country is on inferior imported goods the healthier we’ll be, and it will certainly help with the cost of groceries. Start with a $5.00 breadfruit – you won’t be sorry!