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Firi firi
Coconut doughnuts
Tahitian figure-eight coconut doughnuts
Firi firi are the twisted figure-eight doughnuts of Tahiti, sold every morning at the Papeete market and roadside stands, and eaten with a coffee or dipped in hot chocolate on Sunday mornings. The dough is made with coconut milk instead of dairy, so they're lightly sweet and coconut-scented with a soft, chewy inside. A common mistake is twisting the dough too tightly, which makes it spring back; let it rest first. Chef's tip: give them a short second rise after shaping so they fry up light.
- Total time
- 50 min
- Difficulty
- medium
- Serves
- 12
Ingredients
- 1 ⅛ lb plain flour
- 2 ⅞ oz sugar
- ½ tsp salt
- 1 ½ cups coconut milklukewarm
- 6 ¼ cups vegetable oilfor deep-frying
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Method
0/5 doneStep 1: Mix 1 ⅛ lb plain flour, ¼ oz fast-action dried yeast, 2 ⅞ oz sugar and ½ tsp salt, add 1 ½ cups coconut milk and knead for 8–10 minutes to a soft, smooth dough.
10 minStep 2: Cover and leave in a warm place for 1 hour until doubled.
60 minStep 3: Divide into 12 pieces. Roll each into a 25 cm rope, fold in half and twist twice, then bring the ends together to form a figure eight. Set on oiled baking paper.
15 minStep 4: Cover and rise for 20 minutes.
20 minStep 5: Heat 6 ¼ cups vegetable oil to 350°F. Fry three at a time for 2–3 minutes a side until puffed and golden brown and cooked through. Drain on kitchen paper. Never leave hot oil unattended. Eat warm.
20 min
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 280 kcal
- Protein
- 4 g
- Carbs
- 40 g
- Fat
- 12 g
- Fibre
- 1 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does firi firi take?
- About 50 minutes in total: 30 minutes to prepare and 20 minutes to cook.
- How many people does it serve?
- 12 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 fast-action dried yeast?
- Fresh yeast, three times the weight.
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