Originating on the Swahili Coast of East Africa, mandazi (sometimes spelled maandazi) are typically hollow, triangular fried dough pockets. Mildly sweet in flavor, they’re often enjoyed as a snack in Tanzania and Kenya. When made with coconut milk (as these are), they’re commonly called mahamri or mamri.
This recipe, adapted from associate food editor Zaynab Issa’s cookbook Let’s Eat, yields just-sweetened fried dough pockets that are crisp on the outside, fluffy and hollow on the inside. If that sounds to you like the best parts of French beignets and old-fashioned American doughnuts combined into one delicious bite, you’re right.
Some mandazi recipes use baking powder as a leavener; Zaynab opts for yeast, yielding fried dough with unparalleled lift and fluffiness. Be patient with the kneading process: You’ll want to work the dough until it’s soft, supple, and springy. The key to achieving the perfect hollow mandazi is to continue to agitate the dough when frying by flipping them and pressing them down to submerge in the hot oil. To make this recipe vegan-friendly, substitute vegetable or coconut oil for the melted butter.
Head this way for more of Zaynab’s East African recipes.
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Ingredients
4–5 servings
1
tsp. instant yeast
1
tsp. ground cardamom
2¼
cups all purpose flour, plus more for surface
¼–⅓
cup sugar
½
cup full-fat coconut milk
2
Tbsp. unsalted butter, melted
Vegetable oil (for bowl and frying; about 8 cups)
Chai, sweetened condensed milk, or Nutella (for serving)
special equipment
A deep-fry thermometer
Preparation
-
Step 1
Whisk yeast, cardamom, 2¼ cups all-purpose flour, and ¼–⅓ cup sugar, depending on your sweetness preference, in a large bowl to combine.
Step 2
Whisk coconut milk, butter, and ¼ cup water in a measuring glass. Microwave until lukewarm, about 15 seconds. (Alternatively, heat in a small saucepan until lukewarm.) Pour into dry ingredients and stir with a rubber spatula until incorporated. Dough will appear shaggy and a bit dry.
Step 3
Transfer dough to a lightly floured surface and knead until soft and dough springs back when gently pressed, 13–15 minutes. (Alternatively, you can knead in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the dough hook on medium speed, 8–10 minutes.) Transfer dough to an oiled large bowl, cover with a kitchen towel or plastic wrap, and let it rise in a warm spot until doubled in size, about 2 hours.
Step 4
Transfer dough back to a lightly floured surface, cut into 4 equal portions, and roll each portion into ⅛”–¼”-thick rounds. Cut each round into 4–6 triangle-shaped portions, depending on the desired size.
Step 5
Pour oil into a large pot to come 2″ up sides, clip thermometer to sides, and heat over medium until thermometer registers 325°. Working in batches of 2 or 3, carefully drop dough pieces into oil. They will sink at first, then float to the surface. Once they come to the surface, cook, pushing down, pouring oil over, and turning (this will ensure they puff up and are hollow in the center), until deep golden brown, 5–7 minutes. Using a spider or slotted spoon, transfer mandazi to paper towels and let drain.
Step 6
Serve warm with chai, sweetened condensed milk, or Nutella.
Adapted from LET’S EAT by Zaynab Issa. Copyright © 2020 by Zaynab Issa. Reprinted with permission. All rights reserved.