I struggled a bit over what to call these! We called them lokma when I was young, but maybe to add to the confusion, my Mom wrote zalabia on the recipe. The important thing is, they all mean the same thing: fried, sweet, sticky goodness! They are basically a donut or fritter, but with the rosewater and lemon, they feel much more sophisticated! ;)
So, this is where you think, “Wasn’t this a healthy food blog?” Well, yes, most of the time it is, but it’s the holidays and this is too good not to indulge in! And to be fair, I did say it was mostly healthy food up there in the left corner!
Rosewater Fritters (Zalabia or Lokma)
2 C. water, warmed (1 1/2 minutes in the microwave)
1 t. sugar
2 1/4 t. yeast or 1 packet of yeast
3 C. all purpose flour
1 egg
2 T. canola oil
canola oil for frying
In a 2 C. measuring cup, combine the sugar and yeast and set aside.
In a batter bowl, beat the egg with the canola oil. Mix in the yeast mixture then stir in the flour until combined. The batter will be lumpy and that is fine. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and a towel. Keep on the counter for 30 minutes.
In the meantime, prepare the syrup (recipe below).
After 30 minutes, add canola oil to a fry pan up to 3/4″ deep. Heat to about 325 degrees then drop the batter by tablespoonfuls into the oil. Work quickly, they brown up within seconds. As soon as they become a deep golden brown, use a slotted spoon and a chopstick to turn the fritters. Continue frying until they are done on both sides. Place them on a paper towel lined plate and continue until all the batter is done.
Once done frying, dip the fritters into the syrup. They will be doused and heavy, but as they sit a bit, the syrup will run off and they will have a light and thin coating, giving them a glossy and sweet covering.
Rosewater Syrup
2 1/2 C. sugar
1 C. + 2 T. water
2 t. fresh lemon juice
1 t. rosewater
In a small saucepan, combine the sugar and the water. Over high heat, bring the mixture to a boil and reduce heat to medium. Continue simmering until the syrup thickens and coats the back of a spoon. This should take about 5 minutes. Once thickened, remove from heat and stir in the lemon juice and the rosewater. Allow to cool for about 10 minutes, then place in the refrigerator to continue cooling until ready to use.
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