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Fried Sweet Dough

Also known as Fried Sweet Dough (Mandazi — Nigerian Border Style)

Nigerian-style Mandazi is a leavened, slightly sweet, deep-fried dough pillow that arrived in North-East Nigeria through the influence of East African and East-Central African trading and culinary connections, and has been absorbed into Northern Nigerian snack culture as a beloved breakfast and tea-time food. Unlike the East African original, the Nigerian Mandazi incorporates the Nigerian baker's characteristic nutmeg, more sugar and sometimes a little coconut milk for added

Fried Sweet Dough, Nigerian cooking

Ingredients

  • 4 big cups of plain flour
  • 3 big big tablespoons of sugar
  • 1 and a half teaspoons of instant dry yeast
  • 1 teaspoon of ground nutmeg
  • Half a teaspoon of cardamom — the East African influence
  • Half a teaspoon of salt
  • 1 big egg
  • 1 big tin of coconut milk — use instead of water
  • Vegetable oil for deep-frying
  • Icing sugar for dusting

Method

  1. 01

    Making the Mandazi Dough. Combine flour, sugar, yeast, nutmeg, cardamom and salt in a large bowl. Add the beaten egg. Gradually add warm coconut milk while mixing until a smooth, soft dough forms. The dough should be softer than bread dough but stiffer than Puff Puff batter.

  2. 02

    Proving. Cover and prove in a warm place for 45 minutes to 1 hour until noticeably risen.

  3. 03

    Rolling and Cutting. Roll out the proved dough on a lightly floured surface to the thickness of 1 finger. Cut into triangles, squares or rounds. Traditional East African Mandazi is often triangle-shaped — cut the rolled dough into rectangles, then cut diagonally.

  4. 04

    Frying. Heat oil to a moderate frying temperature. Fry Mandazi pieces in batches for 2 to 3 minutes per side until golden-brown and puffed. They will puff dramatically as they fry.

  5. 05

    Finishing. Drain on paper towels. Dust generously with icing sugar while still warm. Serve immediately.

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