Lebanese Doughnuts
'AWWAMAAT
- 8 cups pastry flour
- 1 qt. laban
- 1/2 tsp. soda
- 1 1/2 cups olive oil
- Qater or Sugar Syrup (see above)
These syrupy doughnuts are a famous treat in the Middle
East. In Lebanon they are part of the traditional celebration
of Ghtas, Christ's baptismal night. The belief of the people
is that upon this night the trees kneel down to pray for the
Christ Child. To celebrate the feast children dress in costume
and dance in the streets begging coins and sweets.
Sift flour and mix with laban and soda. Knead well together.
Heat olive oil until almost smoking. Drop dough by the teaspoonful
into hot oil. Fry only a few at a time. They quickly rise to the
surface, brown, and are ready to be skimmed out of the fat. Drain on
absorbent paper. When all the 'awwamaat are fried, dip a few at
a time in thin qater. Serve the doughnuts hot
or cold.
(From Food from the Arab World Marie
Karam Khayat and Margaret Clark Keatinge, Khayat's, Beirut 1959)
|
