Kaimati or also known as luqaimat/lugaimat in Arabic are sweet crispy and fluffy fried dumplings which are coated and drizzled with an aromatic sugar syrup. These inviting sweet dumplings are very popular in many Arab and African countries , and the preparation is the similar but differ with very minor ingredients as well as technique to some degree.
The Kaimatis by nature are not sweet , its the rich golden color sugar syrup coated on them that makes them irresistible both in appearance as well sweetness and of course the rich flavors and aromas of zaffron and cardamoms are so inviting sure to make you come back for just one more dumpling.
In Zanzibar the , syrup we (then) used for Kaimatis is very simple with just sugar, water and cardamom and sometimes with Saffron for that rich and luxurious taste. However just like many traditional and authentic delicacies you find modern ways of serving the dish and in this case it the simple sugar syrup has developed into variety of syrups such as date, raisin , caramel and so on.
Kaimatis are a side sweet dish that is served in many Zanzibari homes for a special lunch or dinner but they are more served during the holly month of Ramadhan as an item to break fast at sunset accompanied by Turkish coffee to help all that sugar roll down.
Growing up making Kaimati was never my 'thing' am not sure why, it was my cousin the seasonal cook, she cooked only in Ramadhan and it was only Kaimati and Katlesi and of-course she mastered them perfectly in shape and sizes and we all loved them and there would never be a leftover no matter how much she cooked.
A lot of people are apprehensive to make Kaimati because fear of not getting them into the right perfect equal size shapes and I guess deep down I was one of them too. 2 years after being away from home , I could not take it any longer it was time to face my fears and pull up my sleeves and attack this tiny golden sweet ball that left me restless for a while. The first attempt was not that bad, other than having batter all over me and every utensil in the kitchen. So if you are one of those people who fear of not getting the right shape, brush that aside because once you have served the kaimatis , you will be surprise how fast they will disappear and that will give you room to make them again and again and with more practice you will become perfect.
The basic batter has 3 key ingredients flour, yeast and water as well as oil or ghee but I like to add more optional ingredients such as plain yogurt and corn starch so they become more crunchy and crispy. The secret to making the best Kaimatis is in the syrup !
Ingredients:
1 Cup/125 gms All-purpose flour
1 tsp /3.5gms yeast
1 Tbl corn starch
1 Tbls veg oil/ghee
2 Tbls plain yogurt
1/2 Cup + 1 Tbl water
( may vary)
For the Syrup
1 Cup/200gms Sugar
1/2 Cup /120ml warm water
1/4-1/2 tsp crushed or powdered cardamom
Few strands of Saffron (optional)
For visual tutorial please click the link below:
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