Zalabya, Loukomades, or sometimes also called Lokma is a crispy dessert you can usually find in the streets of the Middle East, particularly in Iraq.
It is made from balled-up fried dough soaked with sweet syrup or honey or vanilla, sometimes a mixture of both. Some refer to this dessert as the “donut of Mesopotamia'' and we cannot help but agree.
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What is Zalabya?
Zalabya indeed appears to be fried and the ball version of donuts we usually see from malls. This dish will seem to taste bland if the dough is not dripped in syrup since it is just made from flour and yeast with a bit of sugar.
However, once poured with the syrup, every serving will taste sweet, slightly tangy, and musky with that appetizing crisp of the dough from being fried! The texture, to be more precise, is crisp on the outside, but as you bit down, you can make out the fluffy inside of the dough.
How to Serve Zalabya?
Serve this dish as finger food for dessert or snack. The sweet taste of Zalabya makes it a great dessert to make everyone around the table feel satisfied as the sugary flavor sinks in. Because this dish can easily be served and eaten, it is also great for snacks. You must have picked one or two from the platter to munch on without making a mess; a crisp and sweet finger food that is also quite fulfilling to eat.
Loukoumades History
Loukoumades was first served in Ancient Greek, history has it that winners of the first Olympic Games were rewarded with a serving of this dish. Imagine how luxurious this dish had been. Now, it is a famous street food within and outside Greece and its neighboring countries. Years passed by, and Loukoumades is now considered to be a Middle Eastern street food.
Why Does This Recipe Work?
Zalabya is not just another dessert or homemade street food you can make, it offers quite a lot more than its taste and texture. Here are some of the things that make this recipe a must-try:
- This recipe is very convenient to make at home for your kids to enjoy. Its round shape and ability to be eaten using just two of your fingers make it an ideal treat to have when a reward is due to be given!
- Made from budget-friendly ingredients, and some of them are even in your pantry already!
- There are endless ways of serving this dish. You can serve it for dessert with a whole bunch of other main dishes, and you can serve it for snack time alongside your favorite drinks.
- You can double or triple the recipe to serve more of these fried balls soaked in ultimate sweetness!
Ingredients
All-purpose Flour. We need all-purpose flour to build the structure of our little round shape Zalabya.
Sugar. It does not only add mild sweetness, to the dough, it will also help activate the yeast into action. We will also be using sugar in making the syrup later on.
Dry Yeast. We will have to use dry yeast to give the dough a rise. It is also said that dry yeast also enhances the dough's texture and provides a more desirable taste.
Cornstarch. With cornstarch, the outside of the dough will become crisp once fried, and we want exactly that for this recipe!
Warm Water. It will help us mix all the dry ingredients faster, and with warm water, the formation of small circles will be easier.
Dry milk. Plain full-fat yogurt will help the texture of the dough become moist, consequently adding flavor as well.
Baking Powder. Help to rise the dough.
For the syrup
Water. In making the syrup, we have to melt the sugar in water to form the sticky consistency desirable to syrups.
Lemon Juice. It adds a zing and tangy flavor to the syrup, which makes the syrup taste even better. With the presence of lemon juice, the whole dish is not just a sweet fried dough but also a mix of other flavors.
Honey: A small amount will enhance the texture of the syrup.
Vanilla Extract. Add more flavor to the syrup by adding some vanilla extract to it!
Pistachio. Garnish with some crushed pistachios!
How to Make Zalabya (Loukoumades) - Step By Step
Make the syrup
One: In a saucepan, add sugar, water, lemon juice, honey and vanilla extract over medium heat, bring to a boil, and then simmer for 10-15 minutes.
Turn off the heat, and let it cool down completely.
Make the dough
Two: In a mixing bowl, mix flour, salt, dry milk, dry yeast and baking powder until combined.
Three: Gradually add the warm water until you have an elastic, rubbery batter.
Four: Cover the bowl and let it rise for 60-90 minutes.
Fry the dough
Five: Heat about 2 inches of oil in a frying pan over medium heat.
Six: Brush a piping bag with some oil, then fill it with the batter.
Seven: Pip about 1 inch of batter, and then cut with scissors; continue piping and cutting the dough.
Eight: Flip into the other side to fry evenly until golden brown.
Nine: Now, take the Loukoumades out of the oil and toss them into the cooled syrup, and strain them to remove excess syrup.
Ten: Garnish with finely chopped pistachio, and serve!
Top Tips!
- Make sure that the warm water you will be using for the dough will not be above 43C, or else the dry yeast will no longer work.
- The dough should have a moist texture instead of being dry. Dry dough will not rise once you fry it, giving you a hard and chewy Zalabya.
- Heat the oil thoroughly first before you put it in the dough, or else the dough will just stick to the bottom, ruining its texture and shape.
Recipe Variations
- You can make chocolate syrup instead by adding melted chocolate to the syrup mixture.
- You can also skip adding Zalabya in simple syrup and instead sprinkle with powdered sugar while hot.
- Add a pinch of salt to your dough mixture to add taste.
- Add cinnamon powder to the syrup mixture to add some warm flavor.
Serving Suggestions
Enjoy this dessert by serving it on top of your favorite ice cream flavor! Zalabya is bite-size; hence they can easily blend well with your cold and creamy ice cream. You can also serve this cute ball-shaped dish with coffee or orange juice!
This dessert has an almost pastry-like taste which makes it an ideal pair for your dose of coffee. If you are fond of Nutella, you can just dip this dish into the bowl and enjoy the crisp, sweet, and chocolatey combination of it!
Storage
Make-ahead of Time: Make the dough ahead of time and freeze it until you are ready to fry it.
To store: Refrigerate for up to three days in an airtight container. It is not wise nor desirable to free this dish.
Recipe FAQs
No. Honey is used for syrup, and it is a by-product of bees making this recipe not vegan-friendly.
Yes. Melt the sugar in rose water for more flavor.
Add three tablespoons of oil to the dough before scooping and frying, this will make forming the dough into circles easier.
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Recipe
Zalabya - Loukoumades Recipe
Ingredients
The simple syrup
- 2 cups granulated sugar
- 2 tablespoon honey
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoon lemon juice
- 1 cup water
For the dough
- 2 cups all purpose flour
- 1 tablespoon dry yeast
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 1 tablespoon dry milk
- 2 teaspoon cornstarch
- ½ teaspoon baking powder
- 1 tablespoon sugar
- 1 ⅓ cups warm water
- oil for frying the dough
- 1 tablespoon crushed pistachio , (optional) for garnish
Instructions
Make the syrup
- In a saucepan, add sugar, water, lemon juice, honey and vanilla extract over medium heat, bring to a boil, and then simmer for 10-15 minutes.
- Turn off the heat, and let it cool down completely.
Make the dough
- In a mixing bowl, mix flour, salt, dry milk, cornstarch, dry yeast and baking powder until combined.
- Gradually add the warm water until you have an elastic, rubbery batter.
- Cover the bowl and let it rise for 60-90 minutes.
Fry the dough
- Heat about 2 inches of oil in a frying pan over medium heat.
- Brush a piping bag with some oil, then fill it with the batter.
- Pip about 1 inch of batter, and then cut with scissors; continue piping and cutting the dough.
- Flip into the other side to fry evenly until golden brown.
- Now, take the Loukoumades out of the oil and toss them into the cooled syrup, and strain them to remove excess syrup.
- Garnish with finely chopped pistachio, and serve!
Notes
- Make sure that the warm water you will be using for the dough will not be above 43C, or else the dry yeast will no longer work.
- The dough should have a moist texture instead of being dry. Dry dough will not rise once you fry it, giving you a hard and chewy Zalabya.
- Heat the oil thoroughly first before you put it in the dough, or else the dough will just stick to the bottom, ruining its texture and shape.
Variations
- You can make chocolate syrup instead by adding melted chocolate to the syrup mixture.
- Add a pinch of salt to your dough mixture to add taste.
- Add cinnamon powder to the syrup mixture to add some warm flavor.
Maria
I love them. However, I don't soak them in the syrup; I just drizzle it over them.
Emma
Super delicious, Thanks for the recipe.
Mona
Delicious! I used to make it in Ramadan as a dessert.