Mandazi: the flavorful recipe for African donuts

Mandazi are an easy recipe to make African triangle-shaped donuts. Originally from Swahili Coast, they're fried bread similar to beignets. Mildly sweet in flavor, they're soft, fluffy on the inside and crisp on the outside.

You need few pantry ingredients to whip up mandazi. Cardamom gives a special note to the taste, while coconut milk adds a fantastic, mellow sweetness to the dough. However, mandazi won't be as sweet as American donuts as they're served with just powdered sugar.

Keep stirring the dough while frying, so you get perfect hollow mandazis. You would love absolutely everything about this delicious recipe as it has the most perfect taste, texture, color, and flavor. Enjoy these delectable donuts for breakfast or snack with jam or a cup of tea, or coffee. Some people also serve mandazi with curry.

Tips

Make sure that the dough is kneaded only until everything comes together. Add more flour, if required, to gather the dough into slightly non-sticky in consistency.

Don't use too much flour otherwise your mandazi will turn out hard.

How to store Mandazi

You can store mandazi in the refrigerator for 2 days, closed in a tight-lidded container.

How to make Mandazi

Step 1

Step 1

In a large bowl, combine vegetable oil, sugar, egg, yeast, salt and cardamom. Add a cup of flour at a time, then whisk.

In a large bowl, combine vegetable oil, sugar, egg, yeast, salt and cardamom. Add a cup of flour at a time, then whisk.

Step 2

Step 2

Knead the dough on a flat work surface until it's not sticky anymore. Place it again in the bowl, cover and let it rest for one hour or until double in size.

Knead the dough on a flat work surface until it's not sticky anymore. Place it again in the bowl, cover and let it rest for one hour or until double in size.

Step 3

Step 3

Briefly knead the dough and divide into equal portions. Form a ball for each piece and cover them with a cloth. On a floured surface, roll out one ball at a time until 1/3 inch thick. Cut into triangles.

Briefly knead the dough and divide into equal portions. Form a ball for each piece and cover them with a cloth. On a floured surface, roll out one ball at a time until 1/3 inch thick. Cut into triangles.

Step 4

Step 4

Fry each triangle on low to medium flame on both sides until golden brown.

Fry each triangle on low to medium flame on both sides until golden brown.

Step 5

Step 5

Sprinkle with some powdered sugar, serve, and enjoy!

Sprinkle with some powdered sugar, serve, and enjoy!