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Gullisuwa (fried milk balls in syrup)
Gullisuwa: Kano's fried powdered-milk balls, soaked in light syrup for Sallah and weddings
NigerianSmall kiosks in Kano sell gullisuwa in twists of plastic, and Hausa families make platefuls for Sallah and weddings. Milk powder, a little flour and sugar are worked into a soft dough, rolled into balls and fried slowly until deep golden, then soaked in syrup, which gives a rich, fudge-like centre and a faintly caramel crust. They recall Indian gulab jamun, but they are firmer and less spiced. Milk sugars burn fast, so the common mistake is hot oil that browns the outside in seconds while the inside stays doughy; keep it low. Chef's tip: oil your palms when rolling, so the balls stay smooth and don't crack in the pan.
- Total time
- 50 min
- Difficulty
- medium
- Serves
- 6
Ingredients
For the balls
- 1 oz plain flour
- 2 tbsp sugar
- ½ tsp baking powder
- ¼ cup water or milkroughly
- 3 ¼ cups vegetable oilfor frying
For the syrup
- 7 oz sugar
- ¾ cup water
- 1 slice fresh ginger (optional)or 2 crushed cardamom pods
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Method
0/6 doneStep 1: Make the syrup: simmer 7 oz sugar, ¾ cup water and 1 slice fresh ginger for 5 minutes, until slightly thickened. Keep it warm.
6 minStep 2: Mix 7 oz full-cream milk powder, 1 oz plain flour, 2 tbsp sugar and ½ tsp baking powder. Add ¼ cup water or milk a spoonful at a time and knead gently into a soft, smooth dough that doesn't stick to your hands.
5 minStep 3: Oil your palms and roll the dough into 18 smooth balls the size of a large marble, with no cracks.
8 minStep 4: Heat 3 ¼ cups vegetable oil in a deep pan to 300°F, low enough that a ball sinks and only slowly fizzes back up.
5 minStep 5: Fry 6 at a time for 5–6 minutes, rolling them around, until evenly deep golden brown. They darken quickly, so lift them out the moment they reach colour.
18 minStep 6: Drop the hot balls into the warm syrup and soak for at least 10 minutes, turning. Serve warm or cold, lifted out of the syrup.
10 min
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 380 kcal
- Protein
- 11 g
- Carbs
- 50 g
- Fat
- 15 g
- Fibre
- 0 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does gullisuwa (fried milk balls in syrup) take?
- About 50 minutes in total: 20 minutes to prepare and 30 minutes to cook.
- How many people does it serve?
- 6 as written. Change the servings above the ingredients and every amount scales to match.
- Is it vegetarian?
- Yes. It has no meat or fish.
- What can I use instead of plain flour?
- Self-raising flour, same amount (then leave out the baking powder).
- What can I use instead of sugar?
- Caster sugar, same amount.
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