When it came to L, I don't think I thought much further than Lebanon. It was to be Baklava, a dish that seem to be on my to do list for the longest time. I am not sure why I have been procrastinating from doing this relatively simple dessert. Well you have the complicated version and a simple one. Needless to say I have some very quick to assemble Baklava recipes. Yet I have again postponed making it for another day.
I had to search for a simpler dish to make. Konda was being quite adventurous and said I could make anything and she was there to eat it and enjoy. Come to think of it, I am not sure what she likes best, other than the pizzas and chocolates. As I was making it, I was remembering the fact she hardly ever volunteers to eat an Indian Sweet, leave alone those payasams etc. She loves Athirasams, but never shows much interest towards other sweets. Expecting my boys to eat this was simply out of question. My colleagues were so surprised when they came to know that my kids don't like sweets (Chocolate is not a sweet, IT'S Chocolate) or anything even potatoes (except chips of course)
As I was making the dish, remember I was making 3 other dishes along with this, Konda was clicking away like crazy. Poor kid didn't know what was happening. I had the boys watch the tele, so they didn't come under way. If you haven't guessed already, Hubby dear was out of town and I was taking the best advantage of the situation. I infact had made paneer butter masala with a new recipe for Naan. With all the hungama going on, I completely forgot to click pictures of the Naan.
The other dishes were all for this BM and none of them were complimenting the other. But then, those were Kid friendly, and all it required was for the kids to enjoy and approve. So on the whole I was quite apprehensive about how
In Lebanese cuisine, they have something called as the "Mezze", where the guests are served with different dishes, covering many colours, flavors, textures and aromas. Mezze can be very simple or can include an entire meal. Along with fruits being served for desserts, they have a wide range of sweets served for desserts as well. Baklava is one of the most famous desserts and I have been wanting to make it for the longest.
Infact I had shortlisted to make Baklava, but again short of time and other things made me select a simpler one. This was again part of a larger number of dishes that I made. So you can imagine I was going crazy thinking which picture I was clicking. Then Konda helped me, that created more chaos as I wasn't sure which belonged to which country, while sorting through the pictures.
Anyway in the end, we burnt a pan full of sugar syrup, because we thought switched off. So we ended up making the sugar syrup again for soaking. The fried donuts came out well. Konda wanted to pack for her friends the next day and so I packed whatever was remaining in her box. It tastes great when it is still warm. Though after the clicking, it hardly is warm for you.
I saw this recipe and wanted to stick to it, then I landed in a video to see how they make it. The video from DedeMed on youtube had potatoes in it, though I skipped.
Awamat | Lebanese Donuts
Country : L for Lebanon
Category: Desserts, Kid Friendly
Preparation time : 10 - 15 mins
Resting Time : an hour atleast
Cooking Time : 5 - 7 per batch
5 mins for the syrup
Ingredients Needed:
For Donuts:
All purpose Flour - 1 cup
Plain Yogurt - 1 tbsp
Sugar - 1/2 cup
Instant yeast - 1/4 tsp
Salt a pinch
Oil for deep frying
Syrup:
White sugar - 1/2 cup
Water - just enough to cover the sugar
Lemon juice - 1/2 tsp
How to make Awamat
For the Sugar Syrup
Take the sugar and mix with sugar, bring to boil. Cook till it thickens. Add lemon juice and keep it aside.
For the donuts
In a bowl, take the flour, yeast, curds, salt and slowly add water to knead to a soft dough. Cover with a muslin cloth and keep it aside till it doubles.
Heat oil well and take a spoonful of dough and drop into hot oil. Cook on both sides, remove from oil, drain on a kitchen towel.
Pour the sugar syrup on the donuts and serve.
Check out the Blogging Marathon page for the other Blogging Marathoners doing BM# 44
Recipe
Awamat | Lebanese Donuts ~ L for Lebanon
Ingredients
For Donuts
- 1 cup All Purpose Flour
- 1 tbsp Plain Yogurt
- 1/2 cup Sugar
- 1/4 tsp Instant Yeast
- Salt a pinch
- Cooking Oil for deep frying
For Syrup
- 1/2 cup White Sugar
- Water just enough to cover the sugar
- 1/2 tsp Lemon juice
Instructions
How to make Awamat
For the Sugar Syrup
- Take the sugar and mix with sugar, bring to boil. Cook till it thickens. Add lemon juice and keep it aside.
For the Donuts
- In a bowl, take the flour, yeast, curds, salt and slowly add water to knead to a soft dough. Cover with a muslin cloth and keep it aside till it doubles.
- Heat cooking oil well and take a spoonful of dough and drop into hot oil. Cook on both sides, remove from oil, drain on a kitchen towel.
- Pour the sugar syrup on the donuts and serve.
Varadas Kitchen says
Konda is so helpful! Before long she will be writing guest posts on your blog. She takes great pictures too. Donuts look great!
Priya Suresh says
Sounds almost like our badusha na apart from the yeast part. I would love to munch these lebanese donuts without any guilt anytime.
Suma Gandlur says
Right now Lebanon is ruling.
As I read about your kids more and more, I feel like you are talking about my daughter. Same case at my home too, Valli. My one eats chips but hates potatoes in general. She literally cringes seeing sweets but chocolate / cakes are an exception. :))
Your kids must have enjoyed these doughnuts. They look yummy.
Sapana Behl says
Donuts are looking so soft and mouth melting...
Usha says
Poor Konda, but looks like she is enjoying being the helper in the kitchen. Donuts turned out good.
Archana Potdar says
Konda is so helpful Valli!!! As for Awamat I am sure my kids will not eat it its sweet. Like you said chocolate is chocolate and chips are chips.
Looks like Lebnon rules today Valli. I love teh delicious Awamat. Keep up like this I am finally going to send you a list of sweets I want eat in Chennai.:D
Manjula Bharath says
wow thats an fantastic fried donut from lebanese 🙂 love the addition of yogurt to this doughnut !! Thats really great to have such an helpful daughter srivalli 🙂
Pavani N says
These are like the loukoumades I made for Greece. So similar.. Yours turned out soft and fluffy.
Harini-Jaya R says
That is just too addictive!
The Pumpkin Farm says
you are lucky to get Konda helping you with the blog, the fun age for her has begun i guess, and these look like balushahis to me, donuts are always a welcome choice at home
Padmajha PJ says
I could almost visualize the scene as I was reading the post!Nice that Konda can help with the clicks :). And these donuts are nice. Wonder if my kids will have them!
Kalyani says
Konda's growing to be a helpful Sous chef :-)) congrats ! the doughnuts look awesome !
Chef Mireille says
I love reading about your adventures with Konda. I am sure when she is older she will lovingly recall these times
Gayathri Kumar says
Nice to have your daughter help you in the clicking part. I want to know the secret behind your non stop cooking passion. The donuts have turned out so yumm...
Foodiliciousnan says
This seems to be such a kid-friendly dish. I'm surprised your boys don't like sweet much. But i remember my brother was the same...not much of a sweet lover, not even chocolate!