Deep-fried rice pudding with stewed plums

Method

1. First cook the rice pudding. Preheat the oven to 170°C/gas mark 3. Place the rice, milk, sugar and butter in an ovenproof dish. Grate the nutmeg over the rice.

2. Cover the dish with kitchen foil and place on the middle shelf of the oven. Bake for 1 and a half to 2 hours, stirring once or twice during this cooking period, until thick and creamy. Remove and set aside to cool.

3. Meanwhile, make the batter. Dissolve the yeast in the beer in a large bowl. Mix in the vinegar, salt and sugar.

4. Sift the flour into the mixture and whisk until it forms a smooth, creamy batter. Chill in the refrigerator for at least 20 minutes.

5. Place the plums, vanilla pod and water in a heavy-based saucepan. Cover the pan and bring to the boil, reduce the heat and simmer gently until the plums have softened, around 5-10 minutes.

6. Remove the lid and simmer the plums, stirring now and then, until thickened. Strain the plums and return the cooking juices to the pan.

7. Bring the juices to the boil and cook briskly until reduced. Stir in the strained plums. Remove the vanilla pod and sweeten to taste with sugar. Set aside.

8. Roll the rice pudding into small plum-sized balls and dust in flour.

9. Fill a wok or deep fat-fryer with vegetable oil for deep-frying and heat through. Test that the oil is hot enough by adding in a small cube of stale bread. If it turns golden within a minute the oil is hot enough for deep-frying.

10. Drop the rice pudding balls into the batter then drop them in the hot oil and deep-fry until golden on all sides.

11. Remove with a slotted spoon, drain on kitchen paper, then dust with ground cinnamon and caster sugar.

12. Serve the freshly fried rice balls with the stewed plums.