Make delicious, soft, lemon-flavored East African (Kenyan) mandazi without milk, yeast, or eggs! This easy recipe, which only uses a handful of ingredients, will definitely blow you away!
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As a Kenyan, I can only tell you that this tried and tested family recipe always wins!
- with self-raising flour as a key ingredient, it is convenient as you do not have to measure out any baking powder or yeast.
- it has no milk or eggs!
- simple and affordable.
- it is great for batch-cooking; feel free to double the ingredients in this recipe for one kilo of flour, triple for 1.5kg, quadruple for 2kg of flour, and so forth!
what is mandazi?
For those who do not know, mandazi refers to buns made by deep-frying dough in hot oil. It is especially popular in the East African countries of Kenya, Uganda, Tanzania, Burundi and Somalia.
Normally served for breakfast with sweetened tea, or enjoyed as a snack, it is also a popular street food.
Similar to other East African dishes such as wali wa nazi (Swahili coconut rice), chapati, and mahamri, it has Portuguese, Arab, and South-Asian origins.
ingredients
This is a simple summary, the full measurements and step-by step instructions have been provided in the recipe card below.
- self-raising flour (plus more to dust) - use three cups of all-purpose flour combined with one and a half teaspoons of baking powder, if you do not have self-raising flour.
- granulated sugar.
- grated rind of one lemon.
- cardamom (iliki) - optional.
- some salt - this helps balance out the sweetness, so they do not end up too sweet.
- some warm water - seeing that this recipe is without coconut milk or regular dairy milk for that matter, you will also require some water to make the dough.
- cooking oil - to fry.
how to make soft mandazi
Here is how to make this recipe.
- Step 1: make the dough:
- We start by sifting the self-raising flour, sugar, cardamom, and salt in a bowl.
- Add the grated lemon zest and create a well in the center for the warm water.
- Gradually add water while kneading until the dough is smooth and silky. Avoid overworking it.
- Cover the bowl, and place it in a warm place to rest for at least 20 minutes (or overnight).
- Step 2: roll out the dough:
- Once the dough has rested, transfer it to a floured rolling board. Divide the dough into 4 portions, and roll out each into a circle, about 20cm in diameter and ¼-inch (6mm) thick.
- Next, cut into triangles or your preferred shapes.
- Step 3: fry the mandazi:
- heat the oil in a large pot to 350°F (180°C) and fry each piece of dough for 3-5 minutes on each side, or until golden brown.
- Once done, you want to transfer them to a kitchen or paper towel-lined bowl to drain.
- Mandazi tastes the best when served fresh. Serve them with a hot cup of coffee or Kenyan chai, freshly squeezed juice, soda, mbaazi (Swahili pigeon peas), or enjoy them as they are. You can also keep them in paper bags for later.
tips to nailing this recipe
- Check the oil temperature: Use a kitchen thermometer. Alternatively, drop a small piece of dough, or stick the bottom of a wooden spoon in the oil. Bubbles should form around the dough or wood if the oil is hot enough.
- Soften the dough: Add a few tablespoons of oil to the dough while kneading to make it softer. Resting the dough also results in a softer mandazi.
- Fry in batches: avoid overcrowding the pan to maintain oil temperature.
- Maintain oil temperature: Too hot and they'll burn; too cool and they'll absorb too much oil.
- Use enough oil: Don't skimp on oil; it should cover the mandazis initially, to prevent sogginess.
storage instructions
- Store any leftovers in airtight containers or a paper bag for 2-3 days on the countertop of your kitchen, as they tend to get hard with time. Do not keep them in a plastic bag when hot, as they tend to sweat, which also makes them soggy.
- It is okay to make your dough ahead of time. You can keep the dough in the fridge for up to 3 days, and in the freezer for up to a year to fry later. Just make sure to bring the dough to room temperature before frying.
more East African recipes for you to try
These delicious recipes are on fire!! So certainly make sure to check them out!
- Air fryer mandazi
- Pili pili ya kukaanga - an African hot sauce.
- Pilau Masala
- Kashata - East- African no-bake sweets.
- Dawa Cocktail - a popular Kenyan drink, similar to Caipiroska.
- Kuku Choma - grilled chicken.
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Updated on November 7, 2023: Certain parts of this recipe have been simplified to enhance clarity and readability.
📖 Recipe
Easy and Soft Kenyan Mandazi Recipe
Equipment
Ingredients
- 3 cups self-raising flour (plus more to dust)
- ¾ cup sugar
- grated lemon rind or zest
- ½ teaspoon cardamom (iliki) (optional)
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 1½ cup warm water (use more or less, until you obtain a firm dough)
- oil for frying
Instructions
- In a bowl, sift self-raising flour, sugar, cardamom, and salt. Add grated lemon zest, then create a well in the center for warm water. Gradually add water while kneading until the dough is smooth. Avoid overworking it. Cover the bowl and let it rest in a warm place for at least 20 minutes or overnight.
- Once the dough has rested, transfer it to a floured rolling board or a clean kitchen countertop.
- Divide the dough into 4 portions, and roll each portion between the palms of your hands to form a ball. Roll out each ball of dough to a circle, about 20cm in diameter and ¼-inch (6ml) thick. Cut into 8 triangles or as preferred.
- Heat the oil in a large pot to 350°F (180°C) and fry for 3-5 minutes on each side or until golden brown.
- Transfer them to a kitchen or paper towel-lined bowl to drain. Serve your Kenyan mandazi with a cup of chai, coffee or simply enjoy them as they are! You can also store them in paper bags for later.
Notes
-
- Check the oil temperature: Use a kitchen thermometer, drop a small piece of dough, or stick the bottom of a wooden spoon in the oil. Bubbles should form around the dough or wood if it's ready.
-
- Soften the dough: Add a few tablespoons of oil to the dough while kneading to make it softer. Resting the dough also results in softer chapatis.
-
- Fry in batches: avoid overcrowding the pan to maintain oil temperature.
-
- Maintain oil temperature: Too hot and they'll burn; too cool and they'll absorb too much oil.
-
- Use enough oil: Don't skimp on oil; it should cover the mandazis initially to prevent sogginess.
- Store any leftovers in airtight containers or a paper bag for 2-3 days.
- You can freeze them in airtight freezer bags for up to 6 months. To reheat, thaw overnight in the fridge and warm for a few minutes in the oven, microwave or air fryer. They tend to turn chewy upon reheating so bear this in mind when warming them.
- You can keep the dough in the fridge for up to 3 days, and in the freezer for up to a year to fry later.
Nutrition
frequently asked questions
1. Overmixing the dough - mixing over an extended period of time results in extra gluten development, which then results in a gummy, chewy or hard dough.
2. Frying at a too low temperature - the temperature should lie between 350°F (176°C) and 360°F (182°C). Frying at a too low temperature will make the crust hard and the mandazi greasy.
3. Using cold water or not using enough water when kneading - make sure to use enough water when kneading, to ensure that the dough stays pliable. Warm water is recommended, if you use cold water, make sure to rest the dough long enough.
4. Not storing properly - finally, not storing the cooked mandazi properly will make them hard. You should always store them while still warm (not hot) in an airtight container or paper bag.
• You can make mandazi using your air fryer.
• Enrich your mandazis with some protein by adding two beaten eggs. These also give the mandazi a cake-like taste.
• Use lukewarm milk in place of water, for a richer taste.
• Feel free to add a few tablespoons of yogurt (mala) to the dough. This helps make the dough fluffier and the mandazis softer.
While very similar, beignets and mandazi are not the same thing. They have the major similarity in that both are made from cut-out pastry, which is then deep-fried. Beignets are normally made using rich ingredients such as evaporated milk and butter. The fried dough is then dusted with powdered sugar. Mandazi, on the other hand, uses very basic ingredients namely flour, sugar, yeast or baking powder, and warm water. These ingredients are then combined into a dough, deep-fried, then served as it is, without dusting with powdered sugar.
Cara
Easy to make and came out delicious! I appreciated all the tips. I visited Tanzania last December and wanted to make something from that region for a gathering. These were perfect!
Kate Hahnel
I am so glad you tried out this mandazi recipe and that you loved them, thank you!!
Lydia
Now cooking this..
Kate Hahnel
Great, let me know how they turn out!!
Lisa
I never had this before but that will change as I am going to mnake these this week! looks so yummy!
Kate Hahnel
Thank you!
Tara
These Mandazi look absolutely amazing! I love the flavor from the addition of the lemon and cardamom.
Kate Hahnel
me too, this gives the perfect flavor combination!
Nathan
I've not had mandazi before, but you had me at deep fried dough! Can't wait to give these a try, I love anything with cardamom!
Kate Hahnel
I love cardamom too! It is honestly one of the best spices out there, for baked or fried treats such as mandazi!
Holley
These look and sound delicious! I love anything lemon, so this will be a great recipe to try!
Kate Hahnel
That's wonderful! The lemon really brings in a fresh note. Let me know if you have any questions.
Dannii
I have never heard of these before, but they sound amazing. I have all the ingredients now, so I am going to try them straight away.
Kate Hahnel
They are basically a simplified version of beignets, without evaporated milk or powdered sugar. I hope you get to try!