Awamat (Crispy Honey Dough Balls)
Little balls of yeasted batter fried until golden and crunchy, then dropped into a cool sugar syrup with lemon and orange blossom. Crispy outside, soft inside and very sweet.
Servings
Ingredients
Nutrition
Per serving
Steps
Make the batter
In a bowl, mix the flour, cornstarch, yeast, sugar and salt. Slowly whisk in the warm water until you have a thick, smooth, sticky batter. Cover and leave in a warm place for 1 hour, until bubbly and doubled.
Make the syrup
While the batter rises, put the 400 g of sugar and 250 ml of water in a pan. Bring to a boil and let it bubble for 8 minutes. Add the lemon juice and cook 1 more minute. Turn off the heat, stir in the orange blossom water and let it cool completely. The syrup must be cold.
Heat the oil
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Fry
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Soak in syrup
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Serve
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Make the batter
In a bowl, mix the flour, cornstarch, yeast, sugar and salt. Slowly whisk in the warm water until you have a thick, smooth, sticky batter. Cover and leave in a warm place for 1 hour, until bubbly and doubled.
Make the syrup
While the batter rises, put the 400 g of sugar and 250 ml of water in a pan. Bring to a boil and let it bubble for 8 minutes. Add the lemon juice and cook 1 more minute. Turn off the heat, stir in the orange blossom water and let it cool completely. The syrup must be cold.
Heat the oil
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Fry
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Soak in syrup
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Serve
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The Story Behind the Dish
Fried dough soaked in syrup or honey goes back to ancient Greece, where similar sweets were given as prizes at the Olympic Games. Today they are found from Greece (loukoumades) to Iraq.
In Lebanon, awamat are made for the Epiphany (Eid al-Ghitas) in January, when Christian families fry them at home and share them with neighbors.
⭐ Why It's Famous
They are cheap to make, fun to eat and loved by children and adults alike.
💡 Fun Fact
Awamat means 'floaters' in Arabic, because the balls float to the top of the oil as they fry.
Lebanon and the eastern Mediterranean
33.89°N, 35.50°E
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