Name: Corn dogs
Ingredients: 100g polenta; 75g plain flour; ½ tsp salt; ½ tsp aleppo chilli flakes(or ¼ tsp regular chilli flakes); 1 tsp ground cumin; ½ tsp coriander seeds, roughly crushed; 1½ tbsp caster sugar; ½ tsp baking powder; ¼ tsp bicarbonate of soda; 3⅓ tbsp (10g) finely chopped chives; 200g plain kefir (or plain natural yoghurt ); 1 egg; 1 tsp honey; 1 tbsp unsalted butter, melted; 1½ litres vegetable oil, for frying; 6 good-quality frankfurters, cut in half to make 12 mini sausages (or 12 cooked chipolatas); 2 tbsp cornflour; 12 wooden skewers or lollipop sticks (snapped in half if very long, in which case use just 6); hot sauce or condiment of choice, to serve

Canape / Party food Summer

Serves 4

Prep 20 min

Cook 20 min

This quintessential carnival food is traditionally made with frankfurters, but you could also use chipolatas or merguez. If you do so, however, make sure the sausages are not too thick and cooked in advance. These quantities will make slightly more batter than is required here, but you need so much to coat the sausages properly; use up any excess batter to make hush puppies – carefully drop small spoonfuls into the remaining hot oil and fry for a couple of minutes until golden.

Ingredients

100g	polenta
75g	plain flour
½ tsp	salt
½ tsp	aleppo chilli flakes(or ¼ tsp regular chilli flakes)
1 tsp	ground cumin
½ tsp	coriander seeds, roughly crushed
1½ tbsp	caster sugar
½ tsp	baking powder
¼ tsp	bicarbonate of soda
3⅓ tbsp	(10g) finely chopped chives
200g	plain kefir (or plain natural yoghurt )
1	egg
1 tsp	honey
1 tbsp	unsalted butter, melted
1½ litres	vegetable oil, for frying
6	good-quality frankfurters, cut in half to make 12 mini sausages (or 12 cooked chipolatas)
2 tbsp	cornflour
12	wooden skewers or lollipop sticks (snapped in half if very long, in which case use just 6)
	hot sauce or condiment of choice, to serve

Method

Whisk the first 10 ingredients in a medium bowl. In a small bowl, whisk the kefir, egg, honey and melted butter, then pour into the cornmeal mixture and whisk thoroughly to combine – the batter should be quite thick. Pour into a tall, narrow jar or glass (this choice of vessel will ensure the sausages get fully immersed in the batter when dipped in) and set aside.
Pour the vegetable oil into a medium saucepan and, on a medium-high heat, and bring up to 170C. Have ready a cooling rack or a tray lined with kitchen roll, and a heat-resistant slotted spoon or a pair of tongs.
Thoroughly dry the sausages with kitchen roll (if using cooked chipolatas or merguez, wipe off any excess oil). Put the cornflour on a small plate, roll the sausages around in it until evenly coated, then shake off any excess. Insert a skewer into one end of each sausage, and push it up halfway inside the sausage until secure.
Take a sausage and, holding it at the skewer end, dip it in the batter - it helps to tilt the jar or glass a bit, and to swirl the sausages around to make sure they’re evenly coated. Holding the skewer at an angle, carefully lower it into the hot oil. Repeat, then cook the sausages three or four at a time and turning them frequently for four minutes, until a deep golden brown, and place on the rack or tray to drain. Repeat with the rest of the sausages and serve warm with your hot sauce or condiment of choice.