Easy Mandazi Recipe: East African Doughnut

Mandazi is a form of fried bread from the Swahili coast. These donuts are almost part of the Streetfood of the Swahili people who live in the coastal region of Kenya and Tanzania.

They are popular in the region because it can be eaten with almost any food or just as a snack, and perhaps kept and heated for consumption. Tap here to find out more about Streetfood Kenyan.

The Mandazi are similar to the donuts or puff puff from West Africa. They certainly have a little sweet taste, but they have nothing to do with American style doughuts and are generally served without frosting. Mandazi can however be consumed with savory dishes.

The recipe is very easy to make, as ingredients you will just need water, sugar, flour, yeast and milk. Here in the recipe I use coconut milk, for its softness and especially for its smell. When coconut milk is added, Mandazi are commonly called Mahamri or Mamri.