Lokaymat, Ramadan Favorite Middle Eastern Sweet Dumplings

Everyone’s Ramadan favorite sweet fritters, one round ball that is, usually, dunked in simple syrup. Crunchy on the outside, soft and fluffy inside. A wildly popular golden nugget street dessert. Yes, that’s right, lokaymat it is.

Seriously addictive, one will never stop at one, I haven’t seen anyone who did, so, consider this as a warning before you try this recipe. This shows up a lot in the Middle East specially during the month of Ramadan. I have another popular recipe for the lokaymat on the blog, check it out here.

Lokaymat, loqaymat, loqmat al qadi, awamaat… there are so many names for this simple round delicious dessert. You can think of them as a far relative to doughnut holes or the Indian Gulab Jamun. They also go by kaimati, skaramati and loukoumades. I could not reach a trusty resource that clarifies the origin of the heavenly dumplings. Most families in Egypt start Ramadan with Knafeh or Qatayef. It seems that everyone has been missing them throughout the year. Then comes the other special Ramadan treats like basbousa and loqaymat.

First day in Ramadan has a special place, families have to meet and no one should have iftar alone. We carry this tradition with us and it will break my heart if one day for some strange reason I find myself having iftar first day alone.

Ramadan is a season to gather with family and friends as much as we can, to see those who we haven’t seen the whole year and to mend broken relationships especially in families. Everyone seems to be happy and to let go of any misunderstanding 💓.

Food unites us and in particular desserts. After having our iftar and praying, comes tea time with lots of desserts. We keep chatting nibbling on desserts with tea and coffee until night time prayer is here. These little gems are perfect for such occasion.

There are so many options for serving loqaymat:

• Dunk in Simple syrup: this is the traditional way of serving and the dearest to my heart… love it. The syrup can be flavored in endless ways, by adding vanilla, a cinnamon stick, orange blossom water, rose water, cardamom…..etc.
• Sprinkle some powdered sugar: Another very famous way to serve those delicious sweet dumpling.
• Pour Chocolate syrup on top: Usually Nutella, but here I’ve made my own delicious chocolate glaze which everyone loooooves.
• Cinnamon Sugar: Combine sugar and cinnamon then roll the hot balls in it right after taking them out of the oil

So you choose best way , or ways, to serve the dumplings … they are all great and delicious.

Lokaymat, sweet Middle eastern dumplings

 

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Prep time

15 mins

Cook time

10 mins

Total time

25 mins

 

Everyone's Ramadan favorite sweet fritters, one round ball that is, usually, dunked in simple syrup. Crunchy on the outside, soft and fluffy inside. A wildly popular golden nuggets street dessert.

Author: Amira

Recipe type: Dessert

Cuisine: Middle Eastern

Ingredients

• 1½ cup all purpose flour.
• ½ Tablespoon sugar.
• ½ Tablespoon dry yeast.
• ½ cup warm water
• ½ cup plain full fat yogurt.
• For the syrup:
• 2 cups sugar.
• 1½ cup water.
• 1½ teaspoon lemon juice.
• ¼ cup honey.
• Flavors for the syrup ( Use any):
• ½ teaspoon vanilla extract cinnamon stick,
• ½ teaspoon orange blossom water or rose water.
• For the Chocolate syrup:
• 4 oz semi sweet chocolate.
• 1½ teaspoon corn syrup.
• 2 Tablespoons sugar.
• ½ cup heavy cream.
• Cinnamon Sugar:
• ¼ cup granulated sugar.
• 2 teaspoons cinnamon.
• Nuts for garnishing:
• Roughly chopped pistachios or hazelnuts.
• Oil for frying.

Instructions

1. In the bowl of a stand mixer, add flour, sugar, yeast and mix for 30 seconds to combine.
2. Add water until a hard dough forms, if you find it too hard and does not come together add another tablespoon of water and mix.
3. Cover and let it set for 30 minutes.
4. Make the syrup:
5. Combine syrup ingredients with the flavor of your choice in a medium sauce pan, stir to combine ingredients well.
6. Bring to a boil on medium-high heat then reduce heat and simmer for 10 minutes. Set aside to cool down completely.
7. Make the chocolate syrup:
8. In a medium bowl or measuring cup add chocolate and corn syrup.
9. In a small sauce pan , stir together sugar and heavy cream until sugar dissolve, heat until just about bubbling at the edges,
10. Pour the hot cream mixture over the chocolate and corn syrup and mix with a spatula until well combined.
11. Set aside
12. Finish the dough:
13. After the 30 minutes, add yogurt to the mixture and knead with the flat beater for almost 5 minutes or until dough comes together.
14. Cover and let it rise for 1 hour at least or place in your fridge for up to 24 hours.
15. Fry the dumplings:
16. Heat oil for frying on medium-high heat.
17. When oil is hot, reduce heat to medium and start frying the dough.
18. Using a small ice cream scoop, dipped in oil form small balls and drop into the oil to fry.*
19. Oil the ice cream scoop every now and then to ensure that the dough will glide easily from the scoop.
20. After the pan is full with dough balls, raise the heat up again to medium-hight.
21. Fry the balls until they are golden brown.**
22. Immediately take the dumplings out and dunk them in the simple syrup, stir to coat.
23. Get the dumplings out of the syrup after 5 minutes and place in a colander to drip excess syrup.
24. You can roll the balls in cinnamon sugar or make the chocolate syrup and pour it over. You can also dust the dumplings with powdered sugar.
25. Serve immediately as it is better when fresh.

Notes

* If you do not have an ice cream scoop, you can use the method I mentioned here.
** The more you fry your dumplings, the crispier it gets. So try for the first couple of balls until you find the color that satisfies you.
*** Nutrition Facts calculated on using simple syrup only.

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Amira is the writer, photographer and culinary prowess behind the blog Amira’s pantry. She introduces new flavors, creative ways and fresh takes on old favorites in her blog to help you create food with style that will bring everyone around your kitchen table.