These Coconut Mandazi are lightly crisp and golden on the outside, with a soft, tender interior that has the comforting texture of an old-fashioned fried tea cake. Coconut milk or Kara Coconut Cream gives them a lovely richness and subtle coconut flavour, while cardamom and cinnamon add a gentle warmth.
They are delicious warm with tea or coffee and are especially good when freshly fried, when the edges have that delicate crunch and the centre is still soft and tender.
Mandazi – African Doughnuts
® This is a RAS signature Recipe©
♦Prep time:30min ♦Cook time:20min ♦Yield:24 Mandazi.
A detailed introduction and related links are available on the
Recipe Intro ↓ : Check it out or scroll down for the Recipe and Video⇓.
EAT AND TELL!!! Let us know if you tried – Mandazi – African Doughnuts
| ♦Mail me your pics and testimonials 🙂 – recipesaresimple@gmail.com ♦If you make the dish and share it on your social media, please don‘t forget to tag me @recipesaresimple and hashtag it #recipesaresimple on any platform. ♥Please rate the recipe if you have tried it below ↓♦Quick Browse to see All Recipes by Category.♦World Cuisines to browse recipes by Country. ♥Thanks for visiting www.recipesaresimple.com |
Mandazi – African Doughnuts
Description
These Coconut Mandazi are soft, lightly sweetened East African fried breads with a delicate coconut flavour and hints of spice. Made with Coconut Cream and baking powder, this easy no-yeast recipe produces beautifully golden mandazi with a tender centre and lightly crisp exterior—perfect with a cup of hot chai or coffee.
Ingredients:
Instructions
-
In a large bowl, combine the flour, sugar, baking powder, salt, cardamom and cinnamon. Use a whisk to evenly distribute the ingredients.
-
To another bowl, add the melted butter, egg and Kara Coconut Cream. Beat well till thoroughly combined.
-
Add the wet ingredients into the dry mixture. Stir briskly with a spatula, til the dough begins to hold together.
-
Continue to knead the dough gently for about 3–5 minutes, just until smooth and all dry flour in the bowl is used up. . Avoid over-kneading, as this can make the Mandazi tougher.
-
If te dough seems too dry, add water 1 tablespoon at a time, mixing after each addition. You may not need to add water.
-
The dough should be soft and pliable but not sticky.
-
Cover and let the dough rest for 15 minutes only.
-
This gives the flour time to hydrate and relaxes the dough, making it easier to roll and helping the finished Mandazi stay tender.
-
Divide the dough into 4 portions/ balls. Roll each portion out to about ½ cm thick on a lightly floured surface.
-
Cut each into 6 triangles, or your preferred Mandazi shape.
-
Allow the cut Mandazi to rest for another 5 while you heat the oil.
-
Heat enough oil for deep frying over medium heat. The oil should be hot enough for the Mandazi to puff and turn golden steadily, but not so hot that they brown before the centre cooks.
-
Carefully place a few Mandazi into the hot oil, making sure not to overcrowd the pan.
-
Fry, turning occasionally, until puffed, golden and cooked through, about 2 minutes per side depending on their thickness.
-
Remove and drain on a wire rack or paper towels.
-
Serve warm or at room temperature with tea or coffee.
Note
Don't add too much water.
The coconut milk/cream and egg provide most of the moisture. Add water only if the dough genuinely needs it.
Keep the dough soft.
A stiff dough can produce dense mandazi. You want a soft, manageable dough that isn't sticky.
Don't over-knead.
Because these are baking-powder mandazi, there's no need for extensive kneading. Just knead enough to bring the dough together smoothly.
Let the dough rest before cutting.
This makes the dough much easier to roll and cut, and helps prevent it from shrinking back.
Keep the oil at medium heat.
This is particularly important. If the oil is too hot, the outside will brown quickly while the centre remains undercooked. If it's too cool, the mandazi absorb too much oil and become greasy.
Don't overcrowd the pan.
Adding too many at once lowers the oil temperature and prevents even frying.
Why use coconut cream?
Using Kara Coconut Cream diluted with a little water makes these mandazi especially rich and tender. The coconut fat gives the interior a softer, more delicate texture and adds a subtle coconut flavour without making the mandazi heavy.
Compared with using water alone, coconut cream gives the mandazi that lovely tender, fried-cake quality while still allowing the exterior to develop a light crispness.
Texture
The ideal Coconut Mandazi should have:
A lightly crisp, golden exterior → a delicate bite → a soft, tender, slightly rich interior.
They're not meant to be chewy like a yeast-raised doughnut. Think of them more as a soft, old-fashioned fried tea cake with a slight crunch around the outside.
Storage
Mandazi are best enjoyed fresh, particularly while still slightly warm. Once completely cool, store them in an airtight container at room temperature for 1–2 days.
For the best texture, gently warm them before serving.
