You are going to be suoer excited once you make your mandazis. They are best served for breakfast and you can make the dough and prepare your mandazis when you want them. Mandazi originates from East African and can be made with grated coconut, spiced with cardamom, nutmeg and fried to perfection. Be sure not to overcrowd the pan because it will drop the temperature of the oil. Only fry as many mandazis as can float in the pan without touching one another.
Once you place the mandazi in the pan they will rise to the top and you can use a slotted spoon to flip the mandazi over until golden brown. The first step for this recipe is to activate the yeast. Place the warm water in a bowl and sprinkle the yeast on top. Stir to combine and (this is optional) add a pinch of sugar to the mixture, which helps the yeast start metabolizing. After preparing the yeast, mix together the dry ingredients and add them to the yeast mixture.
Next, whisk together the egg and coconut milk. Add to the dry ingredients and mix with hands until the dough sticks together. You don’t want the dough to be too sticky so you can also add a little more flour if needed. Next, on a lightly floured surface, knead the dough with both hands until smooth and elastic. Knead for about 10 to 15 minutes, coating hands with oil or flour to work into the dough to prevent sticking.
After kneading the dough, allow it to rise in a warm place for an hour. Once the dough has risen and doubled in size, divide the dough into four equal portions. Starting with one portion, flatten with a rolling pin and shape into a small circle. Cut the circle into six triangles, and repeat with remaining dough portions.
Allow the triangles to rise a second time on a baking sheet for about 10 minutes. Meanwhile, you can begin to heat the oil for frying the mandazi.
Ingredients;
- Warm Water – 1/4 cup
- Active Dry Yeast – 1 packet (2 & 1/4 teaspoons)
- All-Purpose Flour – 3 cups
- Dry Milk Powder – 3 tablespoons
- Granulated Sugar – 3/4 cup
- Baking Powder – 1/2 teaspoon
- Ground Cardamon – 2 teaspoons
- Coconut Milk – 1 – 14oz can
- Egg – 1
- Oil for frying
Instructions;
- Pour the warm water in a large bowl; sprinkle the yeast over the water and stir to combine.
- Allow the yeast to dissolve in the warm water for five minutes.
- The mixture should begin to bubble which means the yeast is active and ready to use.
- Once the yeast is ready, mix together the flour, milk powder, sugar, baking powder and cardamon in the same bowl.
- Add to the yeast mixture and stir to combine.
- In a separate bowl, whisk together 1 cup of coconut milk and 1 egg.
- Add the coconut milk to the flour mixture until the dough sticks together.
- You can also add more flour, if necessary. The dough should be soft but not too sticky.
- Knead the dough with hands until smooth and elastic (about 10 minutes), coating hands with oil or flour to work into the dough if needed.
- Place the dough in a large bowl, coated with cooking spray, turning once to coat.
- Place plastic wrap over the dough and let the dough rise for about an hour in a warm place or until doubled in size.
- Punch the dough down and divide evenly into four portions. With a rolling pin, flatten a portion into a circle and cut into six triangles.
- Repeat previous steps with remaining dough portions.
- Place triangles on a baking sheet, cover with plastic wrap and let sit for another 10 minutes.
- Meanwhile, heat the oil in a large pan.
- Fry the mandazi (in batches) on one side until mandazi turns golden brown then flip and fry remaining side for 1 to 2 minutes until golden brown. Cool on paper towels. Repeat with remaining mandazi.
- Mandazi is best served fresh but can be reheated for later use.
