MANDAZI RECIPE a.k.a (ma ndo ndo in Zambian language)

served with ice cream

Having friends from different parts of Africa quenched my eagerness to learn how to prepare food from other parts of the world apart from my own Zambian foods. So I learned this Mandazi recipe from a Kenyan friend which is commonly known as maNdoNdo In Zambia.

KITCHEN EQUIPMENTS NEEDED:

-Pan for frying

-rolling pin

-mixing bowl

INGREDIENTS:

-2 Cups all purpose flour

-2 and half granulated sugar (*depending on how sweet you want your mandazi to test*)

-2 teaspoon baking powder NOT (baking soda)

-1 Teaspoon ground cinnamon

-1 Teaspoon ground ginger

- half teaspoon ground cardamom

-1 teaspoon salt

-1 teaspoon vanilla extract (optional)

-1 egg slightly beaten

-1 cup milk

- 4 tablespoons of butter

-1 table spoon powder or icing sugar  (for garnishing)

-1 four cups vegetable oil for frying the mandazi.

 MIXING INSTRUCTIONS:-
In a mixing bowl, sift all the dry ingredients-flour, baking powder, cinnamon, ginger, cardamom, food coloring, salt & nutmeg.-Add the cubed butter into the mixing bowl, combining it with your fingers until you achieve a fine crumb.-Create a well in the middle of the flour and add the egg and vanilla extract. Mix well.-Add the milk, a little at a time and mix well until everything in the bowl is well combined. The dough should be soft and pliable, but should not stick to your clean hands.-Form the dough into a ball, place in a container with a lid and cover and let the dough rest for at least 30 minutes.

HEAT UP YOUR OIL IN YOUR FRYING PAN ON MEDIUM HEAT.

-After 30 minutes, heat up your oil in your frying pan on medium heat then lightly flour your working surface and place the ball of dough onto the floured surface. Shape it into a disc.
-Lightly flour your rolling pin to prevent the dough from sticking to it.
-Use the rolling pin to spread the disc to a sheet of dough of about 1/4 inch thickness.
-Dip your cookie cutters in the medium bowl with flour in it, to prevent them from sticking to the rolled out dough.
-Now use your cookie cutter to cut out shapes on the sheet of dough. Place these cut-out shapes on the floured baking sheet. Gather the scraps of dough into a ball and re-roll and cut shapes out of this. Repeat until all the dough is used up.
-To test your oil for readiness, use a small scrap of dough and drop it into the oil. The dough should stay at the bottom of the pan for at least a minute before rising up. If the dough comes up immediately you drop it into the hot oil, the oil is too hot. In which case the outside of your mandazi will cook, but the inside will be doughy. On the other hand, if your oil is not hot enough, the mandazi will absorb a lot of oil as they will sit at the bottom of the pan for too long before rising . You want your oil to be just right.
-Once you have confirmed that your oil is ready, gently drop the shaped dough into the pan one at a time. Place the mandazi in the oil AWAY from you. This will prevent the oil from splattering on you and burning you. Do not overcrowd your pan. Six mandazis cooking in the pan at a time is ideal.
-The mandazis should cook for at least 4 minutes on each side. Once they have a nice golden brown color, use your strainer to remove them from the oil, and transfer them to the lines colander to drain excess oil. Repeat this until all the mandazis are cooked...
you can serve them for breakfast, a snack or what ever you want..

 PS: if the first time you try making them doesn't work out, please don't give up and try again another time cause I tried it three times to get it right...
xoxo fran