Luqaimat — Print Recipe — The Culinary Codex

Crispy on the outside and airy inside, these golden fried dough balls are drenched in date syrup or saffron-infused sugar syrup. Bahrain's favorite sweet treat is irresistibly addictive.

Ingredients

2 cups all-purpose flour
1 tbsp yeast
1 tbsp sugar
1 cup warm water
1/4 tsp saffron in 2 tbsp warm water
1 tbsp vegetable oil
Pinch of salt
Oil for deep frying
For syrup: 1 cup date syrup (dibs) or sugar syrup
1/2 tsp cardamom
Sesame seeds for garnish

Instructions

1 Mix flour, yeast, sugar, salt, saffron water, and warm water into a smooth, sticky batter. Cover and let rise for 1 hour.
2 Heat oil for deep frying to 175C. The oil temperature is critical for achieving crispy outsides with fluffy interiors.
3 Wet your hand and take small amounts of batter, squeezing through your thumb and forefinger to form small balls. Drop into the hot oil.
4 Fry for 3-4 minutes, turning occasionally, until deep golden brown and puffed up throughout.
5 Remove with a slotted spoon and immediately dip into warm date syrup or drizzle generously with syrup.
6 Sprinkle with sesame seeds and cardamom. Serve hot while the exterior is still crackling crisp.

Did You Know?

During Ramadan in Bahrain, the sweet aroma of frying luqaimat wafts through neighborhoods just before iftar, becoming the unofficial scent of the holy month.