Mandazi/Mahambri (Sweet Fried East-African Bread)

I never liked mandazi, until my sister, the queen of mandazi, made these. Now, I wish there was a secret tunnel from her kitchen to mine, just to swipe these from her!

There are so many variations of mandazi, with different texture/flavours. However, these gorgeous ones are a risen version, without coconut, mildly sweet and hollow.

Enjoy on their own, stuff with a savory filling (shawarma meat!), or eat with a curry! Let me know how well the recipe worked for you.

The most important part is letting the dough rise! Be patient, it will be worth the effort.

Recipe: Mandazi/Mahambri (Sweet fried east-african bread)

Also known as: Mamri, dabo, dahir

Categories: Breads

Accompaniments: Bharazi, tea, butter and jam, peanut butter, shawarma stuffings

Servings: Make 25-30, depending on how you divide the dough

Mandazi/mahambri

Ingredients:

• 4 cup white flour
• 1 Tbsp yeast, level (we like Fleischmann’s)
• 1 cup warm water
• 2/3 cup white sugar
• 1/2 tsp cardamom powder
• 1/4 cup veg/canola/corn oil (use a liquid measuring cup)
• 1 egg
• Oil for frying in a deep wok/karai

Other:

Large clean cloth (like an unused bedsheet or table cloth)

Method:

• In a bowl, whisk together only 1 cup of flour, yeast and warm water. Cover and let some bubbles form (about 30 minutes).
• Lightly beat egg and add to mixture. Add oil, cardamom powder, sugar to the mixture.
• Gradually mix in the remaining flour.

• Mix and knead well to form a soft dough.
• Make into a ball, top with a little oil and cover to rise for another hour.

• Knead dough again and make 25-30 small balls and then roll into little circles, each about 5mm thick, using only white flour to dust your surface.
• Cover a table with a large clean cloth, and place all the circles on the cloth. Place another cloth, or fold over the cloth so that there is no direct air contact with the dough.
• Leave to rise, undisturbed for 4-5 hrs

Let the dough rise for about 4-5 hours. They will puff up.

After 4-5 hours

• Heat the oil on medium high
• Fry each one, small batch at a time. They fry up fast. Use a slotted spoon and another smaller spoon/fork to help flip the mandazi in the oil.
• Remove when golden brown on a paper towel lined tray

See how hollow the mandazi are?

• Best eaten fresh. However, can by frozen in large ziploc bags and thawed at room temperature. Reheat in oven/micro before serving.