How to Make Swahili Mandazi
How to make Swahili Mandazi? Mandazi is a common meal in East Africa. It’s commonly taken with tea as breakfast, or a snack during the day.
Ingredients
• 3 Cups self-raising wheat flour or All-purpose wheat flour (add baking powder)
• 1 tea spoon instant dry yeast
• 10 tablespoons sugar-can vary with the required taste of sweetness
• Spices (cardamom and ginger, can include other as per preferred taste)
• 1½ cups of Milk (coconut milk or cow)
• 2 ½ cups vegetables oil
• Vegetable oil
Materials
• Rolling pin
• Kitchen knife
• Wok or Deep frying pan
• Slotted spoon
• Mixing bowl
• Sieve
• Clean kitchen cloth
• Bowl with a lid
• Extra kitchen towel
Directions
1. Put the ingredients i.e. flour, yeast, sugar and cardamom, ginger and other preferred spices into the mixing bowl. Mix them together and for the wheat-flour ratio ensure it is 3:1
2. Add coconut or cow milk and mix them together as you knead. To have soft dough add milk little by little. One should knead the dough until it soft but not sticky. This takes approximately 15-20minutes depending on the quantity of flour.
3. Shape your dough into a ball. Apply grease inside the bowl (greasing should be lightly done) and put the dough inside, then cover with a clean towel. Leave the dough for around 3-4 hours as this will allow rising and doubling its size.
4. Press the dough downwards to deflate it then divide it into four balls with equal size. Flatten each ball at least 8 inches in diameter and then divide into four quarters. Place all the quarters together and cover with a clean cloth. Leave it for another 15 minutes to allow for further rising.
5. After the 15 minutes heat the vegetable oil in a deep frying pan.
N/B How to tell if the oil is well heated for cooking the Mandazi
Pick a small piece of the dough and deep inside. If it drops down and rises after few seconds then the oil is well heated to start cooking the Mandazi. When it rises very fast then it’s too hot and if it takes longer then heat oil for more minutes. Overheating the oil will make the Mandazi cook only on the outside while less heating will make them hard
6. Using the slotted spoon turn to check the brownness of the Mandazi. If they are brown and well puffed turn for the other side to cook. Once even and similar colour is achieved remove and place them in a container covered with a towel so as it can absorb the excess oil.
