Whether you call them awama, awamat, luqaimat or loukoumades, these crispy golden doughnut balls drenched in syrup with a soft fluffy centre are addictive. They are also simple to make so I'm not surprised that you can find a version of them in many parts of the world.
My first memory of making awama was when I was living in Syria with my mother. Her recipe was quick and easy and promised a mouthwatering sweet for four energetic kids.
I vividly remember my mother mixing a few humble ingredients together in our little apartment in Damascus. It's a memory I cherish dearly as I recreate awama as an adult. It takes me right back to our little home back then.
The texture of this dough is fluffy and airy on the inside and crispy on the outside, but this is simple to master.
These balls of deep-fried dough are a treat, despite the fact they're only made up of a handful of ingredients. They may look small but they are mighty. I cover mine with crushed pistachios to give them a nice contrast of texture and colour.
The texture of this dough is fluffy and airy on the inside and crispy on the outside, but this is simple to master. The key is to double-fry them to give them their crunch. Although not necessary, if you don't double fry them, they will lose their addictive crunch factor.
Trust me, it is worth the extra minutes.
Awama are popular through Syria and other parts of the Middle East. Source: Hoda Alzubaidi
Love the story? Follow the author here: Instagram . Photography by Hoda Alzubaidi. Styling by Hoda Alzubaidi. Food preparation by Hoda Alzubaidi.
Awama
These golden doughnuts dipped in syrup are crispy on the outside and light and fluffy on the inside. Served with a sprinkle of chopped pistachios, they are highly addictive.
Makes 100 doughnut balls
Ingredients
Syrup
- 175 ml water
- 400 g white sugar
Doughnuts
- 270 g plain flour
- 1½ tbsp corn flour
- 2 tbsp sugar
- 1 tbsp powdered milk
- 7 g instant yeast
- ⅛ tsp baking powder
- ⅑ tsp salt
- 355 ml lukewarm water
To serve
- 30 g pistachios, finely chopped
Method
1. For the syrup, place the sugar and water in a saucepan, stir and bring to a simmer over medium heat until the syrup thickens. This can take 15-20 minutes.
2. For the dough, whisk together the flours, powdered milk, salt, baking powder, sugar and yeast.
3. Add the water and mix well until the mixture is smooth.
4. Cover the dough with cling wrap and allow to rise for 2 hours.
5. Deflate the dough using a spatula by folding the batter. It should reduce significantly in size. Fill the dough a piping bag with a round tip or get a spoon ready to make dough balls (that's what my mum did, there were no piping bags in Syria.)
6. Heat oil in a deep pot for frying, then pipe or spoon small dollops of dough into the pot. Put no more than 10 balls in the pot at one time to avoid the doughnut balls sticking together. Move the balls around using a ladle or spoon so that they brown evenly. Transfer them to a large, flat plate topped with paper towels to absorb excess oil.
7. Once you've fried all the balls, fry them for a few more minutes until they are deep golden. Make sure to constantly move them around the pot to fry them evenly.
8. Remove them from the oil and immediately toss them into cooled syrup for about 20 seconds before straining. The syrup must be cooled to room temperature. Do not put the doughnuts into hot syrup otherwise, they will become soggy. Don't let the doughnuts sit in the syrup too long or they will lose their crunch.
9. Serve the doughnuts with chopped pistachios.
Notes
- Double frying the balls will give you a nice crunchy texture which keeps crunchy for a while. Although it's not necessary, it's highly recommended, otherwise, you run the risk of them getting soggy within a few hours.
- The dough balls are small, so don't wait for the oil to get too hot since they will float to the top almost immediately.
- Make sure the doughnuts get air throughout the bake to avoid the choux pastry collapsing.
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