🍲 Mandazi (East African Doughnuts)

Ingredients

• 4 milk cups all-purpose flour, plus extra for working the dough
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 1 pinch salt
• 1 tsp lemon zest
• ½ cup white granulated sugar
• ½ tsp ground cloves (optional)
• 2 tbsp margarine or butter, at room temperature
• 2 cups water
• 1 tsp vanilla essence
• Vegetable oil for frying

Method

1. Sift together the flour and baking powder in a bowl.
2. Mix in the salt, lemon zest, sugar, and cloves.
3. Rub in the butter until the flour becomes coarse.
4. Combine the vanilla and water, then mix this into the flour mixture to get a firm dough.
5. Knead the dough for about 2 minutes until it no longer sticks to your hands. Set aside to rest for 10 minutes.
6. Flour a work surface, and roll out the dough to about 1-inch thickness.
7. Cut the dough into 10 equal squares, then roll each square into a ball.
8. Heat a pan of oil over medium heat. Deep fry the mandazi in batches of 5 for about 10 minutes or until they are puffed, brown all over, and cooked through.
9. Remove when it is fully done and enjoy your delicious East African Doughnuts.