Vitumbua

Name: Vitumbua
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 30 min
Total time: 600 min
Yield: 6
Cuisine: Tanzanie
Ingredients: 250 g raw white rice; 300 ml unsweetened coconut milk; 70 g sugar; 4 g instant dry baker’s yeast; 50 ml lukewarm water; 1 g ground cardamom; 2 g salt; 15 ml oil for all batches; Cold soaking water, discarded afterwards

🍚 Small lightly sweet rice and coconut cakes cooked in a cavity pan.

Ingredients

250 g raw white rice
300 ml unsweetened coconut milk
70 g sugar
4 g instant dry baker’s yeast
50 ml lukewarm water
1 g ground cardamom
2 g salt
15 ml oil for all batches
Cold soaking water, discarded afterwards

Preparation

Rinse rice and soak in plenty of cold water in the refrigerator for 8 hours. Drain thoroughly and discard soaking water.

Blend drained rice with coconut milk and 50 ml water until smooth with no hard grains. Let cool to lukewarm if blending warmed it. Stir in sugar, instant yeast, cardamom and salt.

Cover and rise about 1 hour at moderate room temperature until bubbly. Heat a cavity pan over medium-low heat and brush with the measured oil across all batches.

Stir batter gently, fill cavities three-quarters full and cook about 3–4 minutes each side, turning carefully. Test one to ensure its centre is cooked. Make about 24 cakes in roughly 30 minutes total batch cooking.

Cool 10 minutes. Serve 6 portions of about 4 pieces. Total time includes 8 hours soaking, 1 hour rising, 20 minutes active preparation, 30 minutes cooking and 10 minutes cooling.