How to Make the Perfect Ugandan Mandazi

Lemon zest flavored Mandazi recipe that is sure to guarantee you amazing mandazi every single time!

Guys, you know that my love for mandazi is unrivaled. In fact, if I had not named this blog A Kitchen in Uganda, I would have gone with mandaziloveaffair or something around those lines. Yes, that love is real and so here I am, again, with another Mandazi recipe. I have shared Mandazi here  and here before but never a classic mandazi recipe. You know the one with the trusty lemon zest for flavoring. Mandazi are life savers and are not celebrated enough to be honest! I cannot recall the number of times I have had a pack of Mandazi on me for emergency situations while running errands in Kampala. Tell me, can you make Mandazi without looking at a recipe? This recipe is sure to guarantee you amazing mandazi every single time.

What you will need:

4 C. All purpose flour

1/4 C. Flour for flouring the surface and rolling dough

8 Tbsp. Sugar

2 C. Water

2 Tbsp. Butter/Margarine at room temperature

1 Tsp. Baking powder OR 1/4 Tsp. Baking Soda

1 Tsp. Lemon zest

1/2 Tsp. Ground Cloves (optional)

1 Tsp. Vanilla essence

A pinch of salt

Oil for frying

Observations:

1. The water should be cold.
2. Make sure your oil is not very hot because this will cause the mandazi to burn before cooking through.
3. Cloves and lemon zest give the mandazi a warm and citrusy flavor.
4. If you are using less oil, make sure to flip the mandazi occasionally so the dough is fully cooked through.

Method

1. In a clean bowl, sift flour and baking powder.
2. Add salt, cloves, lemon zest and sugar and mix well.
3. Rub in the butter till the flour becomes coarse.
4. Mix the vanilla in water. Add water to the flour and mix till a firm dough forms.
5. Knead the dough for about 2 minutes until it is no longer sticking to your hands. Set aside to rest for ten minutes.
6. After 10 minutes, flour your surface and roll out the dough to about 1 inch thickness. Cut out rectangular shapes from the dough. OR divide the dough into 10 -12 equal parts and form round-shaped balls.
7. Place a pan of frying oil on medium heat. Let the oil heat through. Fry the mandazi in batches of 4-5 for about 7 minutes or until risen and golden brown. Makes 10+.

In the coming weeks I will be sharing a modified version of this mandazi in true AKIU fashion. Stay tuned.

Use #AkitchenInUg to share your creations.