Mandazi (East African Coconut Doughnuts) Recipe

Mandazi are coconut doughnuts that are traditionally served alongside bharazi, pigeon peas stewed in coconut cream.

Updated December 12, 2022

20210201-bharazi-mandari-jillian-atkinson — Photograph: Jillian Atkinson

Why It Works

Coconut cream adds fat and flavor to these fried doughnuts.

No matter what you think when you read this recipe, if you’ve never tried these light fluffy doughnuts, we promise you they are worth the effort. Mandazi are a great snack on their own but we love them paired with bharazi. The mandazi are the perfect vehicle for soaking up every last bit of the delicious bharazi sauce.

February 2021

Recipe Details

Mandazi (East African Coconut Doughnuts) Recipe

Active 75 mins

Total 9 hrs 15 mins

Serves 12 large doughnuts

Ingredients

1/4 cup warm water
1/2 teaspoon sugar
1/2 teaspoon dried yeast
50g pure creamed coconut (see note)
1/4 cup water
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 cup sugar
1/3 teaspoon coarsely ground green cardamom seeds
Sunflower oil, for frying

Directions

Place the warm water in a bowl and sprinkle with the sugar and yeast and let it develop for 10 minutes.
Dissolve the coconut cream in the water.
Combine the flour, sugar, cardamom and yeast mixture.
Stir the coconut cream into the mixture gradually and then knead it to make pliable dough.
Let the dough rest, covered, overnight.
Divide the dough into 3 equal parts and roll each into a 6-inch circle about 1/4 inch thick.
Cut each circle into quarters.
Let the dough rest on a floured surface or on a tray until it rises, about 1 hour or until double in size.
Deep-fry the pieces in the sunflower oil on medium heat, about 375°F, until golden brown.
Remove the doughnuts with a slotted spoon to a waiting paper towel-lined baking tray.
Enjoy these with bharazi or on their own.

Notes

You can substitute the thick cream that rises to the top of canned coconut milk as a substitute for pure creamed coconut.

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Nutrition Facts (per serving)
230	Calories
14g	Fat
24g	Carbs
2g	Protein

Nutrition Facts
Servings: 12
Amount per serving
Calories	230
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 14g	18%
Saturated Fat 3g	15%
Cholesterol 0mg	0%
Sodium 21mg	1%
Total Carbohydrate 24g	9%
Dietary Fiber 1g	4%
Total Sugars 11g
Protein 2g
Vitamin C 0mg	0%
Calcium 4mg	0%
Iron 1mg	5%
Potassium 45mg	1%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.