Brinhola – Cape Verdean Banana Fritters Recipe

Brinhola (also known as fidjos) are Cape Verdean banana fritters made from a mixture of mashed bananas, fine yellow cornmeal and all-purpose flour. They’re fried until golden-brown and served as a side for breakfast. This variation calls for a mixture of cornmeal and all-purpose flour but it is common for people to just prepare brinhola with flour.

What are brinhola and are they the same as fidjos?

Brinhola (pronounced breen-yaw-luh) are pan fried banana fritters from Cape Verde. Brinhola are made from mashed bananas (wet ingredient), all-purpose flour or cornmeal (starch), baking soda (leavener) and a pinch of salt. On the island of Sao Nicolau, these banana fritters are called brinhola, but in other parts of Cape Verde they are sometimes referred to as fidjos.

There are different variations of brinhola (or fidjos), most recipes will call for all-purpose flour as the starch, but my grandmother also prepares a version with cornmeal. I’ll talk about substituting below. My favorite preparation is with cornmeal because of the taste and texture. Because using cornmeal only can be tricky to fry, this recipe combines cornmeal and all-purpose flour. The flour helps with firmness and is lighter in color.

Can I substitute the cornmeal with all-purpose flour?

As mentioned, most people prepare brinhola using all-purpose flour as the main starch. Using all purpose flour yields a lighter texture and color. The drawback with using flour only is that you have to be very careful not to use too much oil, or they’ll become soggy.

Truthfully, I haven’t tested this recipe using only flour. If you’re brave and patient enough to substitute, go for it! It may take some trial and error, so be prepared to experiment with the texture, pan temperature and flour measurement, since this recipe was not tested using flour only. As soon as I get the chance to test myself, I’ll update the recipe!

On a separate note, not all cornmeal is the same. You want pre-cooked yellow cornmeal that’s very fine in texture. Do not use coarse cornmeal for this recipe! Here is the brand that I recommend (it’s pretty easy to find in southern New England, but can also be ordered online).

Brinhola Ingredients

• 5-6 ripe bananas with brown spots (they should weigh about 2 pounds in total)
• Ground cinnamon
• Kosher salt
• Fine yellow pre-cooked cornmeal
• All-purpose flour
• Baking soda
• Canola oil for frying (you can substitute vegetable or peanut oil)

How to make brinhola – step by step directions

Steps 1 and 2: Peel and mash the bananas

Peel the bananas, break them in half and place them in a large mixing bowl. Mash the bananas using a masher or fork. You’ll notice that the mashed bananas will become runnier/looser as you mash, there will be lumps, but they should be small. Add the cinnamon and salt to the mashed bananas, whisk until evenly combined.

Step 3: Form the batter

Using a sifter, add the cornmeal and flour to the banana mixture. Add the baking soda and whisk everything together to form a thick batter. The batter will be lumpy, keep mixing until there are no dry patches/clumps.

Step 4: Drop the banana fritters in (hot) oil

Heat half of the oil in a large skillet over medium-low heat. Use the photo below as a guide when lighting your flame. You want to keep an even flame throughout the frying process.

Once the oil is hot, drop 4-6 spoonfuls of batter into the oil at time. Try to keep some distance between each of the fritters so that they don’t touch. 

Step 5: Fry both sides of the banana fritters

Cook the brinhola for about 3-4 minutes per side, or until each side is golden brown. If you notice the brinhola getting too dark, lower the flame as needed. Use a metal spatula to flip the brinhola (it might help to use secondary utensil to push the brinhola onto the spatula) 

Steps 6 and 7: Transfer to a cooling rack, and fry remaining batches

Drain the brinhola on a metal cooling rack (for best results) or on a plate lined with paper towels. Do not pile the fritters on top of each other, otherwise they will become soggy.

Transfer the brinhola to a warm oven and fry the remaining batches using the remaining oil as needed. Once you’ve fried all of the fritters, transfer them to a serving platter and top with a dusting of cinnamon if desired.

Do you love Cape Verdean food? Here are some more recipes!

Cachupa: Traditional Dish of Cape Verde – Full Recipe

Canja – Cape Verdean Chicken Soup Recipe

Traditional Cape Verdean Cuscuz (Cuscuz de milho)

Linguica with Peppers and Onions (Cape Verdean Recipe)