MAHAMRI (MANDAZI)

MAHAMRI (MANDAZI)

This is a very popular East African Breakfast dish. Mainly eaten with Mbaazi (pigeon peas) cooked in coconut milk. However one may eat it at any time with tea. Below is my recipe for this delicious sweet fried bread.

INGREDIENTS

1) 4 Cups Plain Flour (Maida)

2) I Cup Sugar

3) One Fourth Cup Cooking Oil

4) 4 Tbsp Milk Powder or Coconut Milk Powder. You can substitute either 

     milk powder with a cup and a half of Fresh Milk or Coconut Milk

5) 1 tsp Cardamom Powder

6) 3 tsp Instant Yeast OR Dried Yeast added in a little warm water with a 

     tsp of sugar added until frothy

7) Approximately 3 Cups of warm water for kneading

8) Some Cooking oil for deep frying

NOTE: USE THE SAME CUP FOR ALL MEASUREMENT OF INGREDIENTS REQUIRED

METHOD

Place the flour in a bowl. Add the milk powder (or coconut powder), cardamom powder, sugar and instant yeast. Mix with hand to blend them all in the flour.

Make a well in the centre, and add the 1/4 cup of cooking oil. If using dried yeast that you have added to warm water, add it in this well with the oil and the fresh milk or coconut milk if using.

Gradually start pulling in the flour to the centre to combine with the liquid ingredients. While combining to knead, pour in a little warm water at a time and continue kneading until you get the flour all into a lump. At this stage it will be a little sticky because of the sugar that starts melting. Leave it aside for about 10 minutes and then knead the dough until it is no longer sticking to your hands and leaves the sides of the bowl clean. It has to be pliable and soft. 

Cover it airtight and leave in a warm place to rise - preferably overnight or for at least a few hours until double in size.

Once risen, knock it down, and divide into 4 equal portions and shape each portion into a ball. Transfer to your worktop and roll each ball into appx. 6" to 7" in diameter. Use minimum of dry flour to dust your worktop. Or you can take smaller portions and roll each into smaller balls and roll them out in a circular shape.

For triangular shapes, once you have rolled out the larger balls into 6" to 7" circles, using a sharp knife, cut the circular dough right down the centre vertically and then each semi circle diagonally to get 4 equal shaped triangles. Or you can cut each semi circle of dough into 3 equal triangles each to get 6 pieces. Cover with with polythene wrap of kitchen towel and leave aside for about 10 minutes to rise again.

Meanwhile, place the oil in a deep pan or a wok. Let it heat to a medium high temperature and take the re-risen mandazi and dip them into the hot oil. They will slowly rise and puff up. DO NOT place too many at a go. Only place a few at a time

Once you see that the edges have started browning, gently flip them over to cook the other side

Once browned, lift them out with a slotted spoon and place them on your platter, lined with absorbent paper.  

Best served warm.