Festival

Step 1: Whisk 9 oz plain flour, 4 ½ oz fine cornmeal, 2 tsp baking powder, 3 tbsp sugar, ½ tsp salt and ¼ tsp ground nutmeg in a bowl.

Step 2: Add 1 tsp vanilla extract to ¾ cup milk and pour most of it into the dry mix. Stir, then knead briefly with your hand, adding the rest of the milk only if needed, to make a soft dough that's smooth and doesn't stick to your fingers. Knead for 1 minute only; overworking makes festival tough.

Step 3: Cover and rest for 10 minutes so the cornmeal can soften and the dough relaxes.

Step 4: Divide into 10 pieces. Roll each between your palms into a log about 12 cm long, thicker in the middle and tapered at the ends, then flatten it slightly.

Step 5: Heat 3 ¼ cups vegetable oil in a deep pan to about 350°F: a cube of bread should turn golden in about 60 seconds, with steady small bubbles, not a fierce fizz.

Step 6: Fry 3–4 at a time for 5–6 minutes, turning often, until puffed and evenly deep golden brown. They should sound hollow when tapped. Lower the heat if they colour too fast.

Step 7: Drain on kitchen paper and serve warm.