Luqmat al-Qadi: Crisp Syrup Doughnuts
Luqmat al-qadi is made from a loose batter of flour, cornflour, yeast and yoghurt, rested for an hour and fried at 170°C with constant turning until golden, then dipped in cold syrup for only a few seconds. The cornflour is the secret to crispness that lasts.
- Prep
- 15 min
- Cook
- 20 min
- Total
- 95 min
- Calories
- 260
Photo: PattayaPatrol — CC BY-SA 4.0 · Wikimedia Commons
Luqmat al-qadi — also called zalabia — is the fastest and cheapest sweet on the Ramadan table, but for most people the crispness disappears within minutes. The fix is cornflour and oil temperature.
Method
-
1
The batter
Mix the flour, cornflour, yeast, sugar and salt, then add the yoghurt and warm water gradually and whisk until you have a smooth, loose batter — about the consistency of thin pancake batter.
⏱ 10 min -
2
Proving
Cover and leave somewhere warm for an hour until it's risen and the surface is covered in bubbles.
⏱ 60 min -
3
Frying
Heat the oil to 170°C. Drop in spoonfuls with a wet teaspoon, or squeeze them out between your fingers. Turn constantly until golden brown all over.
⏱ 18 min 🔥 170°C -
4
The syrup
Lift them out of the oil and dip them in the cold syrup for twenty seconds only, then drain in a sieve.
⏱ 3 min
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Tips that actually matter
- Wet the spoon before each scoop and the batter won't stick.
- Lukewarm oil makes them drink fat and stay soft; 170°C is the number.
- Never leave them in the syrup for more than half a minute.
People also ask
Why are they dry inside?
The batter is too thick. It should fall easily off the spoon — add a quarter cup more water and try again.
They lose their crispness fast.
Cut the dipping time down, and increase the cornflour to a third of a cup per cup of flour.
Can I use an air fryer?
Yes, at 190°C for twelve minutes with a spray of oil, but the texture comes out closer to cake than to crisp.
Cook mode
Luqmat al-Qadi: Crisp Syrup Doughnuts
-
1
The batter
Mix the flour, cornflour, yeast, sugar and salt, then add the yoghurt and warm water gradually and whisk until you have a smooth, loose batter — about the consistency of thin pancake batter.
-
2
Proving
Cover and leave somewhere warm for an hour until it's risen and the surface is covered in bubbles.
-
3
Frying
Heat the oil to 170°C. Drop in spoonfuls with a wet teaspoon, or squeeze them out between your fingers. Turn constantly until golden brown all over.
-
4
The syrup
Lift them out of the oil and dip them in the cold syrup for twenty seconds only, then drain in a sieve.
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