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Awamat Recipe – Yes, these little crisp doughnut balls are so addictive! Awamat originates from Lebanon, but you can find it with many alternative names around the Mediterranean Sea and Middle-East: Awwami, Awamet, Loukoumades, Lokma, etc… The little deep-fried donut balls have a crispy brown exterior with a dense sweet interior. A good thing to know is that this Awamat recipe is vegan, dairy-free, and egg-free. Enjoy!
Photo credit: © Eatwell101.com
Ingredients list for the Awamat recipe
- 3 cups all-purpose flour
- 1/2 teaspoon sugar
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1 1/2 teaspoons active dry yeast
- 2 1/2 cups water
- Vegetable oil or olive oil, for frying
- Simple syrup, for topping
Directions
1. How to make the Awamat recipe: In a large bowl, combine the dry ingredients: flour, sugar, yeast, and salt.
2. Add the water slowly to the dry ingredients and mix until a dough forms.
3. Turn the Awamat dough out onto a floured surface and knead thoroughly for 5 to 7 minutes. The dough should be shiny, soft, and a little sticky to your fingers.
4. Scoop out a spoonful of dough with a spoon and form ball shapes with your palms. Arrange the balls on a plate.
5. In a large saute pan, add enough oil so that the dough will be deep-fried. Once the oil is hot, progressively place the dough balls into the oil, a few at a time. The doughnut balls will rise to the surface of the oil when cooked. The Awamat should have a nice golden brown color.
6. Remove the doughnuts balls from the oil using a slotted spoon and place them on a plate covered with a paper towel to absorb excess oil. Drizzle the Awamat balls with simple syrup and toss to coat. Serve the Awamat immediately. Enjoy!
Tips for the Awamat recipe
- You can drizzle the doughnut balls with honey instead of simple syrup.
- Nothing prevents you to sprinkle a little cinnamon on top of the Awamat.
- If you have time, use the “double fry” method: dip the awamat balls in oil and deep fry only halfway, then remove them to a plate. Proceed with deep-frying the whole batch halfway, then make a second of frying. This ensures nice, even crispy balls with a wonderful color.
How to store the awamat
Keep the awamat in a shallow plate for up to 2 days, covered with a napkin. But we bet, these delicious donut balls won’t last that long!
(Photo by Young Sok Yun, under Creative Commons license)
