Bambalouni

Bambalouni : Tunisian fried speciality.

Ingredients

• 400 g wheat flour
• 350 ml water
• 5 g dried baker’s yeast
• 5 g salt
• 40 g sugar
• 64 g estimated absorbed frying oil; prepare a 500 ml oil bath

Preparation

Mix wheat flour, water, dried baker’s yeast, salt, adding liquid gradually. Bring the dough together without adding flour just because it is initially sticky.

Beat the very soft dough by hand or spatula for a few minutes. Keep it sticky and stretchy, not firm like bread dough.

Cover and rest for 90 minutes. With baker’s yeast, wait for visible expansion; without yeast, the rest only relaxes the dough.

Heat an oil bath to about 170 °C in a stable pan filled no more than halfway. Maintain the temperature while frying.

With wetted hands allowed to drain, take 8 dough portions and open a hole in each. Lower gently without splashing water into the oil.

Fry in small batches at about 170 °C for 4 minutes in total, turning. They should be golden outside and cooked in the centre.

Drain thoroughly; for fried food, briefly place on a rack or absorbent paper without stacking.

Sprinkle with the stated sugar while the doughnuts are still warm and serve promptly to preserve their light texture.