Since Justin has a meeting every Monday morning, Samantha and I asked Agnes (she cooks lunch for us during the week – she is the best) if she would teach us to cook different things.

In America, I can cook almost everything.  Here, I am learning.  I have to remember not to use the sink water, how to make everything from scratch, and how to use a gas oven and stove (not TOO big of a deal but an adjustment).  Everything takes longer here and it is difficult to make these new adjustments a habit.  Even washing dishes is different here.  We fill one sink with hot water and soap and the other with warm water and bleach.  We wash in the soapy water and rinse in the bleach water.  Everything is just a little different.

Last Monday Agnes taught us to make our FAVORITE thing since we moved here.  They are called Mandazi’s (Mahn-dah-zee).  They are triangular shaped, fried pieces of dough.  I am not sure what to compare them too.  They are kind of a doughnut/beignet cross.  They are delicious by themselves OR with honey or powdered sugar.  I think I could literally eat my weight in them.

I am going to walk through the recipe with pictures and then I will post the recipe at the bottom!

First, you mix 2 cups of flour, 2 tbls of sugar, 1/2 tsp yeast, 1 tbls cooking oil, and 3/4 cup of warm water. (I forgot to take pictures of this part)

Make sure your hands are clean and kneed the ingredients into a ball.

Cover your bowl with a towel and let sit for 30 mins.

….30 minutes later…

Flour a small area and roll out your dough.

You want the dough to be rolled out thin but not too thin.  If you look in the purple bowl you will see that what Agnes is rolling out is only approx 1/2 of the dough.

Cut dough into triangles.

This made 8 Mandazi’s. (But remember there is still dough in the bowl for 8 more!)

Heat up your cooking oil (or do this before you start rolling out the dough).

And begin frying your Mandazi’s.

You will need to flip them.

You want them to be a good, rich golden brown.

Eat just like this, drizzle with honey, or toss in powdered sugar… Enjoy!

Anges’ Mandazi’s

2 cups flour

2 Tbls sugar

1/2 tsp yeast

1 Tbls cooking oil

3/4 cup warm water

Mix with hands and kneed into a ball.  Let sit for 30 minutes (we covered our bowl with a towel).

Roll out  1/2 of your dough – thin but not too thin and cut into 8 triangles.

Fry in cooking oil until golden brown on both sides (you will have to flip).

I hope you enjoy!  Given that it is Monday – it is cooking with Agnes day again.  She is teaching us to cook traditional African dishes today!