Doughnuts are not necessarily the first thing that come to mind when you think of the cuisine of Malawi, but these little fritters popped up at most of the markets we visited close to Lilongwe. I was taught how to make them by Fishani Nyirenda and her daughter Winnie Banda. Orange-fleshed sweet potato was only recently introduced to Africa as means of dealing with vitamin A deficiency, it also has a high yield, making it a reliable crop.

In a large mixing bowl combine the flour, baking powder, sugar and salt. Make a well in the centre and set aside.

Whisk together the eggs and milk and pour into the dry ingredients. Using a wooden spoon, slowly incorporate the wet and dry ingredients until you have a smooth batter.

Beat in the mashed sweet potato until it’s completely incorporated.

The batter should be thick enough to hold its shape when scooped up with a spoon. Depending on the sweet potato, you may need more flour until you reach the desired consistency.

Heat five to eight centimetres of oil in a deep wide pot, until it reaches 190C/375F on a thermometer.

Carefully add generous, heaped tablespoons of the thick batter to the hot oil, making sure not to overcrowd the pot, and fry for three to four minutes on either side until golden brown and cooked through.

Drain on a plate lined with kitchen paper and repeat with the remaining batter.

Dust with icing sugar and serve warm.