Zalabya

Make Ahead and Storage

Eat the day they are made. They go soft overnight and do not revive well.

Making Zalabya

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1. Boil the syrup sugar, water and lemon for 8 minutes, stir in the rose water off the heat, and chill.

   Mark done Start 8 min timer

2. Whisk the flour, cornflour, yeast, sugar and salt, then whisk in the warm water to a smooth, loose batter about the thickness of double cream.

   Mark done

3. Cover and leave in a warm place 60 minutes, until the surface is domed and covered in bubbles.

   Mark done

4. Beat the batter down briefly with a spoon.

   Mark done

5. Heat the oil to 170°C / 340°F. Using two wet spoons, drop rough walnut-sized spoonfuls into the oil, six at a time.

   Mark done

6. Fry 6 to 7 minutes, turning, until deep gold all over and hollow-sounding when tapped against the spoon.

   Mark done Start 6 min timer

7. Lift straight into the cold syrup for 40 seconds, then onto a rack. Scatter with sesame seeds and eat hot.

   Mark done Start 40 sec timer

Related guide: Prep, cook and total time.

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Tips for Success

• A loose batter, not a dough. Stiff means dense.
• Two wet spoons, and accept irregular shapes.
• Moderate oil — they need six minutes and would burn hotter.

Serving Ideas

Karkade · Turkish coffee · Mint tea

Quick Answers

Zalabya Nutrition Facts

No nutrition figures are given for this recipe: they cannot be worked out reliably from its ingredient list (some ingredient lines cannot be read). Why some recipes have none.