Awamat (donut balls) *Middle Eastern Sweets

Soal makanan manis yang diberi nama awamat ini, saya pernah punya kenangan yang ga mengenakkan :D So, pas bulan-bulan puasa biasanya di Mesir banyak banged jenis makanan manis (we call it Halawa) dijajakan di patisserie, pastry shop ato bahkan di warung-warung pinggir jalan. Biasanya bulatan2 awamat ini disusun diatas tray besar hingga membentuk kayak pyramid. Lovely :)

Tiap pulang kuliah dan berhenti di Ramsis, saya slalu sempetin beli sekardus halawa mixed yang isinya baklava, basbousa, konafa, juga si awamat ini. One day, saya kehabisan baklava n basbousa, lalu saya hanya beli awamat yang ternyata diberi banyak bener sama yang jual, plus karamel-karamelnya. Berkah dibulan puasa :D

Naek angkot, kardus awamat saya pangku, n dalam perjalanan everything was okay. Sampelah saya mo turun dan saya baru sadar kalo rok saya lengket semua trus ada noda lingkaran besssaaaar banged karna karamel awamat melubeerrrrr...hwaaa...tangan saya pun ikutan lengket, ga ketinggalan tas saya, baju saya, poor me :(( dan lebih malu lagi karna harus jalan dari ujung gate menuju flat dengan gaya kayak orang abis disunat plus megangin rok, baju dan tas yang lengket semua.

Awamatnya?? saya letakin getu aja di ujung gate .. and sadly that was the last time I bought awamat. And this oh-so-called stupid story just end that way mwuhehehehe...

Well, skarang saya coba bikin awamat sendiri :D ...ga susah karna bahan-bahan n caranya mirip kayak bikin donat ato fried balls. Meski bentuknya ga bisa bener2 bulet n ukurannya jadi besar-besar, ga mirip sama awamat aslinya mwuhahah ... Here we goo..

Resepnya saya lupa ambil darimana :( ...

Ingredients:

* 3 cups pastry flour
* 1/2 tsp. sugar
* 2 1/2 cups water
* 1 1/2 tsp. dry yeast
* 1/4 tsp. salt
* oil for frying

* simple syrup : Boil sugar and water for seven minutes. Let it cool

Method:

- In a large bowl mix pastry flour, yeast, sugar, and salt. Slowly add water until dough forms. Knead well. Spoon dough by the teaspoon full and form ball shape with hands.
- In a frying pan, add oil, enough so that dough will be submersed. Heat oil until hot. A good tip for testing the heat of oil is to place the end of a wooden spoon into the oil. If you see small bubbles form around the spoon then oil is hot.
- Carefully place dough into oil, only a few at a time. When dough is cooked it will rise to the top of the oil and be golden brown. Remove from oil and place on plate covered with paper towel to cool and absorb excess oil.
- Once dough is cooked and slightly cooled, toss and coat in simple syrup. Serve immediately.