AI-generated image
Soft doughnuts (kaimati)
Little cardamom doughnut balls soaked in saffron and rose syrup
Kaimati are bite-size Swahili doughnuts: a yeasted cardamom and coconut batter dropped by the spoonful into hot oil, then dipped in a fragrant saffron, cardamom and rose syrup while still hot. They're crisp outside and soft inside. Serve with tea.
- Total time
- 105 min
- Difficulty
- medium
- Serves
- 7
Ingredients
For the batter
- 4 ½ oz plain flour1 cup
- 2 tsp rice flour
- 1 tsp dried yeast
- 1 tsp ground cardamom
- 2 tbsp coconut milk
- ½ cup warm waterabout
For the syrup
- 7 oz sugar1 cup
- 1 cup water
- ½ tsp ground cardamom
- ¼ tsp rose essence
- ½ tsp lemon juice
Shop this recipe on Amazon
Spices & pantry
Fresh ingredients (1)
Links open Amazon in a new tab. As an Amazon Associate, WhatToEat.Today earns from qualifying purchases.
Method
0/6 doneStep 1: Mix 4 ½ oz plain flour, 2 tsp rice flour, 1 tsp dried yeast, 1 tsp ground cardamom and 2 tbsp coconut milk, adding ½ cup warm water as needed to make a thick, sticky batter that drops from a spoon.
Step 2: Cover and set aside in a warm place until it rises and is bubbly.
60 minStep 3: Make the syrup: boil 7 oz sugar, 1 cup water, 3 saffron strands and ½ tsp ground cardamom into a two-thread syrup (see the sugar syrup recipe). Stir in ¼ tsp rose essence and ½ tsp lemon juice and keep it warm.
12 minStep 4: Heat oil for deep frying in a deep frying pan over a medium heat.
Step 5: Drop small spoonfuls of batter into the hot oil and deep fry, turning, until golden brown all over.
15 minStep 6: Dip the doughnuts in the syrup while still hot, lift them out and serve with tea.
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 230 kcal
- Protein
- 2 g
- Carbs
- 44 g
- Fat
- 6 g
- Fibre
- 1 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does soft doughnuts (kaimati) take?
- About 105 minutes in total: 75 minutes to prepare and 30 minutes to cook.
- How many people does it serve?
- 7 as written. Change the servings above the ingredients and every amount scales to match.
- Is it vegan?
- Yes. It has no meat, fish, dairy or eggs.
- 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 coconut milk?
- Single cream, same amount (not dairy free).
Reviews
No reviews yet. Be the first to cook it.
Rate this recipe
Sign in to rate and review this recipe.
You might also like
Kartoshka cakeCocoa and cake crumb truffles
Soviet cafés and school canteens sold these knobbly brown 'potatoes' for a few kopecks, and they began as a thrifty way to use up sponge and biscuit trimmings at the bakery. Crumbs are bound with butter and sweetened condensed milk, flavoured with cocoa and vanilla, shaped into little potatoes, rolled in cocoa and finished with two dabs of pale butter cream for the sprouts. They are fudgy and dense like a brownie truffle, need no oven, and children love making them. Traditional bakers added a spoonful of rum, an optional extra for adult batches only; this version is alcohol-free with vanilla. The usual slip is coarse crumbs, which make the potatoes crack, so blitz them as fine as sand. Chef's tip: chill the shaped potatoes for at least 20 minutes so they hold their shape and slice cleanly.
Russian
Undu walaluFried urad dal rings in treacle
Walalu means bangles, and these dark, sticky rings of fried urad dal soaked in kithul treacle are a sweet that Sinhala families bring out for Avurudu and for special almsgivings, often made in large batches by an aunt known for her steady hand. A thick, fluffy paste of ground black gram is piped into loops and fried until crisp, then plunged straight into warm treacle, so the rings stay crunchy on the outside while drinking up the syrup. They taste a little like a darker, smokier jalebi, with a toffee finish from the palm treacle. Watery batter is what ruins them; it spreads into flat blobs, so grind the soaked dal with as little water as possible and beat it until light. This recipe uses no asafoetida, so it is naturally gluten free. Chef's tip: pipe the rings onto small squares of baking paper and lower them into the oil paper and all; the paper peels away in seconds.
Sri Lankan
Masala ugaliSpiced maize meal porridge
Ugali, East Africa's staple of maize meal cooked into a stiff porridge, given a lift with toasted cumin, butter, fresh coriander and green chilli. Stir it hard and keep it soft. Serve hot with sukumawiki or any stew.