Moulouk

Name: Moulouk
Prep time: 45 min
Cook time: 25 min
Total time: 145 min
Yield: 8
Cuisine: Seychelles
Ingredients: 250 g plain wheat flour; 140–155 ml drinking water, added gradually; 10 ml neutral oil for the dough; 2 teaspoons lightly crushed cumin; ¼ teaspoon salt; A little cracked black pepper; About 1 litre suitable frying oil; fill the pan no more than halfway; A little extra flour for the work surface, only if necessary

Small savoury wheat-flour twists with cumin, fried in batches and cooled until crisp.

Ingredients

250 g plain wheat flour
140–155 ml drinking water, added gradually
10 ml neutral oil for the dough
2 teaspoons lightly crushed cumin
¼ teaspoon salt
A little cracked black pepper
About 1 litre suitable frying oil; fill the pan no more than halfway
A little extra flour for the work surface, only if necessary

Preparation

Mix flour, cumin, salt and pepper. Add 10 ml oil and 140 ml water, then mix. Add water by small spoonfuls, only up to about 155 ml if needed for a soft dough that is not very sticky.

Knead for about 8 minutes, cover and rest 45 minutes. Remove excess bench flour before shaping.

Divide into small portions and roll thin strands about 6 mm wide. Fold each in half, twist the two strands and pinch the ends, forming short ropes about 8–10 cm long.

Heat oil to about 165–170 °C in a stable pan. Fry a test piece, then small batches for about 4–5 minutes, turning, until evenly golden and cooked through.

Drain on a rack or absorbent paper. Once the test piece cools, break it: the centre must be cooked and dry, with no damp dough line. Make thinner pieces or extend cooking gently if needed.

Cool completely for about 30 minutes before serving or sealing in a clean, dry container. Approximate yield: 40 pieces, eight portions of five, depending on strand thickness.