Mandazi, Diversity Is Beautiful

Add yeast to 1/4 cup of the water and mix well until it dissolves.

In a large mixing bowl, combine the all-purpose flour, granulated sugar, cardamom powder, and milk powder. Add the 2 tablespoons of oil and the dissolved yeast mixture. Begin kneading, gradually incorporating the remaining 1/2 cup of water until a soft, non-sticky dough forms.

Note: Dough consistency is crucial. Aim for a soft but not sticky dough. A too-hard dough results in heavy, airless mandazi, while a too-soft dough will yield an empty and hard interior. Strive for a balance in between.

Knead the dough for 7-10 minutes.

Divide the dough into three balls and roll them out, ensuring they are not too thin.

Cut the rolled dough with a sharp knife to create 18 pieces.

Lightly flour the cut pieces, cover them with a cloth, and let them rise for about 30 minutes, or until they have slightly puffed. Avoid letting them rise too much.

Optional Freezing (before frying): Arrange the mandazi pieces on a tray and place them in the freezer. Once frozen solid, transfer them to a sealed bag for storage. To cook from frozen, remove from the freezer, let them reach room temperature (do not let them rise again), then proceed to fry.

Place a deep frying pan on high heat. Once the oil is hot, carefully add the mandazi shapes into the oil. Fry quickly, as they take less than a minute, or about a minute, to be ready to prevent them from becoming too dark or burnt.

Ensure the mandazi are covered in oil. When they puff, turn them over, let them fry for a few seconds, then turn again. Once they achieve a brown color and puffiness, remove them from the oil and place them in a sieve lined with a tissue to drain excess oil.

Optional Freezing (after frying): Once the mandazi cool, you can wrap them in a container and freeze them. They will still taste and feel fresh when reheated later.

Serve mandazi with tea, honey, or curries.