These crisp little golden balls soaked in syrup are known as zalabia in Egypt and as loukoumades in Greece. A tasty street food that is commonly served at Rosh Hashanah, piled in a pyramid or mound on a platter, they are held together by their sticky syrup.
Courtesy of Sylvie Gordon
Ingredients
Batter
2 tsp active dry yeast
1 tsp sugar
3 1/2 cups unbleached white flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
Oil for frying
Sugar Syrup
2 cups sugar
2 cups water
Juice of 1/2 lemon
1 tsp orange blossom water
1 tsp cinnamon powder
Instructions
Make the syrup first. Mix all the syrup ingredients in a saucepan on a low to medium heat and simmer for 10-15 minutes until thick enough to coat a spoon. Allow to cool.
To make the batter, dissolve the yeast and sugar in half a cup of lukewarm water and set aside for 10 to 15 minutes until frothy.
Place the flour in a large bowl. Add the yeast mixture and salt then gradually stir in 2 1/2 cups of lukewarm water and then beat well until smooth and elastic.
Cover with a towel and let rise in a warm place for at least an 1 hour.
Heat oil (~2 in. deep) in a frying pan till very hot.
Make the fritters in batches. Drop small balls of batter with a tablespoon into the hot oil turning them over until crisp, golden and puffed. You might find it easier if you dip the spoon in oil, so that the batter rolls off easy. Lower the heat a little so that the fritters have time to cook inside before getting too brown. The batter is light and produces irregular, rather than perfectly round shapes. If the oil is not hot enough to begin with, the batter tends to flatten out.
Lift the fritters out of the oil with a slotted spoon and drain on paper towels. Dip the balls into the syrup while they are still hot and coat completely for a few seconds. Serve either hot or cold.