Mandazis are an East African delight that are commonly had with a hot beverage such as tea, coffee and hot chocolate.
These East African doughnuts vary in size, shape and can be anything from vanilla flavored, to warm and spicy with hints of cinnamon and ginger, to even fresh, citrusy flavors like lemon. Many people tend to confuse mandazi and mahamri. The key difference here is the type of leavening used. Another difference is that mahamri typically uses coconut milk and cardamom. Being vegan doesn’t mean you need to miss out on such amazing treats, we are so excited to share this delicious treat with you!
Now, there are a few things you need to know before making these. The technique is all in the kneading. Kneading the dough well is very important for texture, softness and puffing up. You’ll know your dough is ready when it’s soft, and when you poke it and it springs back up. Another way to make sure your mandazis will turn out soft and fluffy is to slice the dough with a sharp knife and look for air pockets like these.
Prep Time: 15 mins | Rest Time: 1 hour | Cook Time: 15 mins | Total Time: 1.5 hours | Yield: 30-40 mandazis depending on size.
Ingredients:
3 cups All Purpose Flour
1 tsp Baking Powder
3 tbsps Sugar
1 tsp Cinnamon
1 cup Soy Mylk (luke warm)
3 tbsps Oil
Directions:
In a bowl, add your flour, baking powder, sugar, and cinnamon and give it a good mix.
Make a well in the flour mixture, and add the mylk and oil. Stir everything together with a wooden spoon or your hand until it gets difficult to stir.
Knead the now forming dough for 10 minutes until it's soft and bounces back when you poke it. If your dough is too wet, add some flour bit by bit and if it’s too dry add some mylk bit by bit. To ensure that your dough is ready to rest, slit it with a sharp knife until you see air pockets like those above. If it’s not there yet, keep kneading.
Once your dough is ready, cover it with a kitchen towel for an hour.
When it’s well rested, roll it out on a well dusted surface until it’s about ½ inch thick. You can divide the dough into smaller balls to make it easier to roll out. Cut the mandazis into desired shapes using a knife or cookie cutter.
When you’re almost done cutting them all up, bring some oil to heat up in a sufuria to deep fry the mandazis. Make sure your oil is hot enough to cook the mandazis. You can test this by dipping the back end of a wooden spoon or skewer into the oil. Bubbles will form around it if it’s hot enough.
Drop the mandazis into the oil being careful not to overcrowd the pan. Once they begin to brown, turn them and let the other side cook until they’re golden brown on both sides. Take them out from the oil and place in a bowl lined with serviettes or a cloth to soak up the oil.
Enjoy them with a hot coffee, tea, or your favourite yummy drink.
We’re confident you’ll enjoy this treat! When you make a batch of mandazis, be sure to snap a picture and tag us on our socials!
