Mandazi Recipe - A Red Spatula (2024)

Published: Jul 14, 2020 · Modified: Oct 19, 2023 by Amy Sandidge · This post may contain affiliate links · 1 Comment

African food is new for me. This Mandazi Recipe is actually the only African food I have ever made. There is a Global foods group on Instagram I am part of, to challenge myself as a foodie. This month's challenge was African foods. It was great to do a little research and learn more about this area and their food preferences. Someday I will visit Africa!

What Makes This Recipe Work?

Mandazi is a delicious, lightly sweetened fried bread. It can be formed in a variety of ways, depending on the area, and maker. I chose what seemed like a classic shape, after my research.

It is pretty simple to make, and worth any effort you put into it. Start by Making your dough, giving it a rise, shaping, then frying. Nothing to it, right?

If you are like me and want to experiment with other cultural foods, this is a good one to start with. Mandazi is so addictingly good!

Ingredients

• Milk- you can also use water, but the milk makes it much richer dough.
• Eggs- another ingredient that makes this a rich dough.
• Butter- always butter. You can use oil if you like, but butter is best.
• Instant yeast- you can also use active dry, but for this recipe, I like the instant.
• Baking powder- another leavener in the recipe.
• Granulated sugar- this gives the dough the lightly sweetened flavor.
• All-purpose flour- you can also use a blend of all-purpose and wheat flour if you like.
• Cardamom- I am only used to seeing this in Swedish recipes, but it is also common in African baking.

How To Make

The recipe is simple. I looked through several different recipes and combined a bunch of them to make a recipe I like. It is a straight dough method, which basically means you throw everything into the mixing bowl and mix it together. So simple!

It takes about 5-7 minutes to mix. It should be nice and smooth. Cover and let it rise for about 45 minutes.

Now, it seems there are a lot of different opinions on shapes for Mandazi, but a good friend of our's from Kenya said triangles were traditional to his area. That sounded good to me, so triangles it was. So, cut in whatever shape you prefer.

To cut into triangles, roll a rectangle about ½-3/4 inch thick. Cut the rectangle down to squares. Then cut each square in half on the diagonal.

Now, heat the oil in a cast-iron skillet if you have one. I love cast iron as it holds heat so well and is an even heat. I have had my Lodge Cast Iron skillets for a very long time.

Now, fry the mandazi until it is a deep golden brown on each side.

Notes

This is a pretty simple recipe to make, but let me share a few tips to ensure success the first time.

Make sure to mix the dough until it is nice and smooth, at least 6-8 minutes on medium speed. This will ensure that the gluten is developed as it should be.

The same thing with the rise, make sure to let it rise until it is almost doubled. This proofing will help you to get a light mandazi.

You can use other sweeteners, honey, or maple syrup, but from everything I have read, granulated sugar is a more traditional ingredient.

I think these are best eaten when they are warm, but they are also really good when they are cooled as well. You cannot go wrong with these!

Meal options

From what I read, they can be eaten right away. You can make them in the evening for the next morning's breakfast. You can also make them in the morning for breakfast and also for lunch or dinner the next day. There are tons of variations of Mandazi recipes, this is a variation adapted to our family's preferences.

If you are looking for a fun new global foods recipe, you should definitely check this one out! This Mandazi Recipe really is simple to make and so yummy!

Looking for other bread recipes? I have plenty!

• Breakfast
• Yeasted Breads