Swahili Coast Yeasted Coconut Mandazi (Mahamri)

Method

1. Crack the cardamom pods with the flat of a knife, pick out the black seeds and pound them with the sugar in a mortar until fine; the sugar grinds the seeds for you. Put the flour, yeast, salt and cardamom sugar in a large bowl, adding the salt and yeast on opposite sides, then mix.

   Add in this stepGreen cardamom pods 5Sugar 40 gPlain flour 160 gInstant dried yeast 1 tspSalt 1 pinch

2. Warm the coconut milk in a small pan on low heat for 1 min, until it feels just lukewarm on your finger (about 37 °C); hot milk kills the yeast. Pour it over the flour and mix until it comes together.

   Add in this stepFull-fat coconut milk 100 ml

   low heat

3. Add the ghee and knead for 8 min. It is sticky at first, then smooth and springy; it is ready when a small piece stretches thin enough to let light through.

   Add in this stepGhee, soft 15 g

4. Put the dough in a lightly oiled bowl, cover and leave somewhere warm for 1 h, until doubled. A finger poke should spring back slowly.

5. Press out the air gently, divide into one piece per serving, roll each into a round 14 cm across and 1 cm thick and cut into 4, 8 pieces in all. Space them out on an oiled tray, cover with a dry cloth and proof for 15 min.

6. Pour at least 2.5 cm of oil into a 18 cm pot and heat on medium-high heat for 7 min to 165 °C. Yeasted dough with sugar browns fast, so it fries a little cooler than basic mandazi.

   Add in this stepVegetable oil (for frying) 600 ml

   medium-high heat

7. Lower the heat to medium-low heat, slide the pieces in gently and fry in 2 batches. Give each batch 4 min; for the first 30 seconds, spoon hot oil over the tops so they balloon into hollow mahamri, then turn often until evenly golden.

   medium-low heat

8. Drain on a rack. Serve warm the coastal way with beans in coconut sauce (mbaazi) or a strong cup of chai.