Traditional South African "Vetkoek" which are similar to East African "Mandazi" - and just as delicious !These are quite a decadent treat. I rarely eat, or cook, anything that is deep fried and by this I don’t mean that I am a saint – far from it ! Sometimes, I make these for lunch as my husband really loves them. If you fry them quickly in very hot oil and blot them with kitchen paper afterwards, they are not too greasy. You can serve them with either a savoury filling (mince, cheese) or a sweet filling (jam, syrup, honey).
In Tanzania we have a similar dish called Mandazi. These are also, typically, deep fried ‘cakes’ but they are made of a sweetened dough (rather than a batter) and are usually seasoned with a little cardamom, cinnamon or ginger. (I suppose you could compare them in taste to a not-so-sweet doughnut ? )
They are usually eaten at breakfast and are also popular roadside snacks for early morning commuters. I love Mandazi and usually eat them when we are traveling here or in Kenya as they can be found on many breakfast buffet’s in both the upmarket hotels and local “Guesti’s” (Guest Houses) alike.
Vetkoek
1 cup Flour
1 tsp Baking Powder
Pinch of Salt
1 Egg, beaten
½ cup Water
Sift the dry ingredients together. Add the beaten egg & water and blend to make a smooth batter. Drop batter by the spoonful into a pan of hot oil and fry (turning frequently) until golden brown.
In Tanzania we have a similar dish called Mandazi. These are also, typically, deep fried ‘cakes’ but they are made of a sweetened dough (rather than a batter) and are usually seasoned with a little cardamom, cinnamon or ginger. (I suppose you could compare them in taste to a not-so-sweet doughnut ? )
They are usually eaten at breakfast and are also popular roadside snacks for early morning commuters. I love Mandazi and usually eat them when we are traveling here or in Kenya as they can be found on many breakfast buffet’s in both the upmarket hotels and local “Guesti’s” (Guest Houses) alike.
Vetkoek
1 cup Flour
1 tsp Baking Powder
Pinch of Salt
1 Egg, beaten
½ cup Water
Sift the dry ingredients together. Add the beaten egg & water and blend to make a smooth batter. Drop batter by the spoonful into a pan of hot oil and fry (turning frequently) until golden brown.
