Flour Pholourie (No Split Peas)

Craving that Trini street food magic but don’t feel like soaking split peas overnight? This flour-only pholourie is your shortcut to island-style snacking. Crispy on the outside, fluffy inside—and trust me, once you start dipping, you won’t stop.

What Is Pholourie?

Pholourie (pronounced po-lor-ree) is a seasoned, fried dough ball, crispy, puffy, and loaded with flavor. It’s a beloved street snack in Trinidad and Tobago, Guyana, and Suriname, usually served up hot in a paper bag with some kind of dipping sauce like tamarind chutney, mango sour, or even cucumber chutney.

The traditional version is made with a blend of flour and soaked split peas (aka dhal), but this version right here? Strictly flour, and it’s just as good.

Why You’ll Love This Flour-Only Version

• Great for snacking or liming – movie nights, parties, or anytime you want something tasty to munch on
• No soaking needed – skip the split peas drama
• Fluffy & fast – with baking powder and yeast for a puffed texture

How to make flour pholourie

Ingredients

Ingredients (and Why They Work)

Let’s break down what’s going into your bowl:

• Self-raising flour – your shortcut to fluffiness
• Salt + sugar – balance and flavor
• Curry powder – this brings that signature warm, savory flavor
• Instant yeast + baking powder – for lightness and rise without any soaking
• Water – just enough to create a thick, scoopable batter
• Oil – for deep frying these golden balls of joy

Optional: I sometimes swap the curry powder for saffron powder if I’m feeling fancy, but curry is my go-to.

Instructions

1. Mix the batter
   In a large bowl, combine flour, salt, sugar, curry powder, yeast, and baking powder. Add the water and mix until you have a thick, smooth batter.
2. Let it rest
   Cover and let the batter rest for about 30 minutes. This helps the yeast activate and gives you a fluffier texture.
3. Heat the oil
   Heat your oil in a deep frying pan over medium-high heat. Test by dropping a bit of batter—if it bubbles and floats, you’re ready.
4. Scoop and fry
   Use two spoons or a cookie scoop to drop small amounts of batter into the oil. Fry until golden brown on all sides.
5. Drain and serve
   Remove and drain on paper towels. Serve hot with chutney—or eat them plain straight out the pot (no judgment).

Tips for Success

• Can’t get that round shape?
  Use a cookie scoop! Or embrace the tails. Not every pholourie needs to be perfectly round to be perfectly delicious.
• Fry in batches
  Don’t overcrowd the pot—it’ll lower the oil temperature and make the pholourie greasy.
• Want extra flavor?
  Add minced garlic or a dash of shadow beni (culantro) to the batter.

Sauce Ideas

Listen, these are great plain, but the real fun starts when you dip:

• Tamarind chutney (my favorite)
• Mango sour
• Pineapple chutney
• Cucumber chutney
• Or even just some pepper sauce for heat lovers

How to store and reheat

Store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 2 days.

Reheat by wrapping in a paper towel and microwaving in 30-second bursts.
❗ Only reheat once—after that, they get chewy.

Frequently Asked Questions

Final Thoughts

So if you’re like me and the thought of split peas makes you sigh deeply, then this flour-only pholourie will be your new best friend. It’s quick, it’s easy, and it tastes like every Caribbean memory rolled into one bite.

Now go dip, eat, and repeat!

Recipe

Flour Pholourie

A beloved Trini and Guyanese street snack made from seasoned flour batter, deep-fried until golden. Perfect with tamarind sauce or mango chutney.

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Prep Time 45 minutes mins

Cook Time 15 minutes mins

Total Time 1 hour hr

Servings: 4

Course: Snack

Cuisine: Caribbean

Calories: 55

Ingredients Method Nutrition

Ingredients

  

1x2x3x?

• 2 cups Self-raising flour – 2 cups
• 1/2 teaspoon Salt
• 1 teaspoon Sugar
• 2 1/2 teaspoons Curry powder
• 1 teaspoon Instant yeast
• 1 teaspoon Baking powder
• 1 1/3 cups Water
• Oil for deep fryingg

Method

 

1. Make the batter: In a mixing bowl, combine the flour, salt, sugar, curry powder, yeast, and baking powder. Stir in the water until you get a thick, smooth batter.
2. Let it rest: Cover the bowl and let the batter sit for 30 minutes to activate the yeast.
3. Heat the oil: Fill a deep pot or frying pan with oil and heat on medium-high.
4. Fry the pholourie: Once the oil is hot, use two spoons to drop small portions of the batter into the oil. Fry until puffed and golden brown.
5. Drain and serve: Remove with a slotted spoon and drain on paper towels. Serve warm with chutney or sauce of your choice.

Nutrition

Calories: 55kcal

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