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Bambalouni
Sidi Bou Said's sugared fried dough rings
Bambalouni are the big, flat, chewy doughnuts sold hot and wrapped in paper at the top of the blue-and-white village of Sidi Bou Said, outside Tunis, and on beaches all along the coast in summer. The dough is very soft and yeasty; it is stretched by hand into a ring and fried until puffed and blistered, then rolled in sugar. They are best eaten warm with a mint tea. Chef's tip: oil your hands, not the bench, to shape them; floured dough browns too fast and loses its blistered look.
- Total time
- 40 min
- Difficulty
- medium
- Serves
- 10
Ingredients
Method
0/4 doneStep 1: Mix 1 ⅛ lb plain flour, ¼ oz instant yeast, 1 tbsp sugar and 1 tsp salt. Pour in 1 ½ cups warm water and beat with your hand or a wooden spoon for 5 minutes into a very soft, sticky dough.
5 minStep 2: Cover and leave in a warm place for 1½–2 hours, until doubled and full of bubbles.
120 minStep 3: Heat 3 cups sunflower oil for frying in a deep pan to 350°F. Rub your hands with 3 tbsp sunflower oil, pull off a piece of dough the size of an egg, poke a hole in the middle and stretch it into a thin ring about 12 cm across.
5 minStep 4: Lay it in the oil and fry for 1–2 minutes a side, until puffed and golden. Drain and roll in 3 ½ oz caster sugar while hot. Common mistake: making the ring thick — it stays doughy inside; stretch it thin enough to almost see through the middle.
15 min
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 280 kcal
- Protein
- 5 g
- Carbs
- 50 g
- Fat
- 7 g
- Fibre
- 2 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does bambalouni take?
- About 40 minutes in total: 20 minutes to prepare and 20 minutes to cook.
- How many people does it serve?
- 10 as written. Change the servings above the ingredients and every amount scales to match.
- Is it vegan?
- Yes. It has no meat, fish, dairy or eggs.
- What can I use instead of plain flour?
- Self-raising flour, same amount (then leave out the baking powder).
- What can I use instead of sugar?
- Caster sugar, same amount.
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