Awameh (Lebanese Fried Dough Balls in Rose Syrup)

Name: Awameh (Lebanese Fried Dough Balls in Rose Syrup)
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 36 min
Total time: 56 min
Yield: 8 servings
Cuisine: Lebanese
Ingredients: 2 cups (400 g) granulated sugar; 1 cup (240 ml) water; 1 tablespoon (15 ml) fresh lemon juice, strained; 1 tablespoon (15 ml) rose water; 2½ cups (300 g) all-purpose flour, spooned into the cup and leveled; 2¼ teaspoons (7 g) instant yeast; ¼ cup (30 g) whole milk powder; 2 tablespoons (25 g) granulated sugar; ½ teaspoon (3 g) fine salt; 1½ cups (355 ml) water, warm, about 105°F (40°C), comfortably warm to the touch but not hot; 6 cups (1400 ml) neutral oil such as sunflower, canola or vegetable oil, enough for 2½–3 inches (6–7 cm) depth in the pot; 2 tablespoons (15 g) raw unsalted pistachios, finely chopped (optional)

From the MyKitchenBank Kitchen

Crisp-shelled, airy yeasted dough balls fried until deep golden, then dipped in a lemony rose-water syrup. Awameh are the Lebanese cousin of loukoumades, and they are best eaten within the hour.

Prep: 20 min
Cook: 36 min
Wait: 1 hr
Total: 1 hr 56 min
Makes: About 40 dough balls (8 servings of 5)

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Ingredients

8 servings

For the rose syrup
2 cups (400 g) granulated sugar
1 cup (240 ml) water
1 tablespoon (15 ml) fresh lemon juice, strained
1 tablespoon (15 ml) rose water
For the dough balls
2½ cups (300 g) all-purpose flour, spooned into the cup and leveled
2¼ teaspoons (7 g) instant yeast
¼ cup (30 g) whole milk powder
2 tablespoons (25 g) granulated sugar
½ teaspoon (3 g) fine salt
1½ cups (355 ml) water, warm, about 105°F (40°C), comfortably warm to the touch but not hot
For frying
6 cups (1400 ml) neutral oil such as sunflower, canola or vegetable oil, enough for 2½–3 inches (6–7 cm) depth in the pot
To serve
2 tablespoons (15 g) raw unsalted pistachios, finely chopped (optional)

Equipment (9)

Heavy 5-quart (4.7 L) pot or Dutch oven for frying
Deep-fry or candy thermometer
Medium saucepan (2-quart / 2 L) for syrup
Large mixing bowl (4-quart / 4 L) so the batter has room to double
Sturdy spatula or wooden spoon
Two spoons, or a small 1-tablespoon cookie scoop, for shaping
Slotted spoon or spider skimmer
Wire rack and paper towels
Shallow wide bowl for dipping

Steps

Before you start

Make the syrup first. It must cool completely before dipping, because cool syrup on hot dough keeps the shells crisp.
The batter is wet and sticky, like thick pancake batter. That's correct, so don't add extra flour.
Set up a thermometer. Oil that is too cool makes greasy awameh, and oil that is too hot browns the outside before the center cooks.
Line a tray with paper towels and set a wire rack over a second tray before you start frying.

1
Simmer the syrup
- In the 2-quart (2 L) saucepan, stir together the syrup sugar, syrup water and lemon juice over medium heat until the sugar dissolves.
- Bring to a boil, then reduce to medium-low and simmer without stirring for 8 minutes.
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Ready when: The syrup lightly coats the back of a spoon and runs off in a thin ribbon. It will thicken more as it cools.
Tip: Don't stir once it boils, or sugar crystals can form on the pot sides and turn the syrup grainy.
2
Flavor and cool syrup
- Remove the pan from the heat and stir in the rose water.
- Leave the syrup to cool to room temperature while the batter rises, about 45–60 minutes.
- Pour it into a shallow wide bowl once cool.
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Ready when: The bowl is no longer warm to the touch.
Tip: Adding rose water off the heat keeps its perfume from boiling away.
3
Combine dry ingredients
- In the large mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, instant yeast, milk powder, dough sugar and salt until evenly combined.
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Ready when: No streaks of milk powder or clumps of yeast remain.
4
Beat the batter
- Pour in the warm water.
- Beat vigorously with a sturdy spatula or wooden spoon for 3–4 minutes, pulling the batter up and over itself to build structure.
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Ready when: The batter is smooth and sticky, with no dry flour. It's thick and stretches in strands when you lift the spoon.
Tip: Water over 115°F (46°C) can kill the yeast, so test it on your wrist first.
5
Let batter rise
- Cover the bowl with plastic wrap or a damp towel.
- Leave it in a warm spot for 60 minutes.
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Ready when: The batter has roughly doubled, is full of bubbles on the surface, and jiggles when you shake the bowl.
Tip: In a cool kitchen, put the bowl in the oven with only the light on.
6
Heat the oil
- About 10 minutes before the batter is ready, pour the oil into the heavy 5-quart pot so it is 2½–3 inches (6–7 cm) deep and at least 3 inches below the rim.
- Heat over medium heat to 350°F (175°C).
- Set a paper-towel-lined tray nearby.
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Ready when: The thermometer reads 350°F (175°C) and a drop of batter sizzles and floats within seconds.
Tip: Don't stir down the risen batter. Keep as much air in it as you can.
7
Fry in batches
- Scoop a heaping tablespoon of batter with one spoon, then use a second spoon (or wet fingers) to push it into the oil in a rough ball.
- Fry 6–8 balls at a time.
- Turn them with the slotted spoon as they puff up, and fry 3–4 minutes in total.
- Adjust the heat to hold the oil at 340–360°F (170–180°C).
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Ready when: The balls are deep golden brown all over and sound hollow when tapped. One broken open shows a cooked, airy, honeycomb-like center with no wet dough.
Tip: Dip the spoons in a cup of water between scoops so the batter slides off easily. Don't crowd the pot, since that drops the oil temperature.
8
Drain briefly
- Lift the awameh out with the slotted spoon, let the oil drip back into the pot for a few seconds, and set them on the paper-towel tray for 1 minute.
- Let the oil return to 350°F (175°C) between batches.
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Ready when: The surface looks dry and matte instead of glossy with oil.
9
Dip in syrup
- While still hot, drop a batch of awameh into the cool syrup.
- Roll them around for about 30 seconds, then lift them out with a slotted spoon onto the wire rack set over a tray.
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Ready when: Each ball has a thin, glossy, syrup-coated shell and still crackles slightly when bitten.
Tip: Don't soak them longer than a minute or the crisp crust turns soggy.
10
Garnish and serve
- Pile the awameh on a platter, sprinkle with the chopped pistachios if using, and serve within 30–45 minutes while the shells are at their crispest.
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Tip: Serve extra syrup in a small bowl for dipping.

Good to know

Tips

Keep the oil at 340–360°F (170–180°C). Too cool and the balls absorb oil, too hot and the outside burns while the center stays raw.
Cool syrup with hot dough gives the crispest shell. Hot syrup makes them soggy.
Test-fry one ball first. If it's pale or dense, adjust the oil temperature before you fry the rest.
Wet spoons or lightly oiled hands keep the sticky batter from clinging.

Make ahead

"The syrup can be made up to 2 weeks ahead and kept covered in the fridge, then brought to room temperature before dipping. The batter can be mixed, covered and refrigerated for up to 12 hours for a slow rise. Let it come to room temperature for 30 minutes before frying. Always fry and dip the awameh just before serving."

Storage & reheating

"Best eaten the day they are made. Leftovers keep uncovered or loosely covered at room temperature for up to 6 hours, since a sealed container makes them soggy. Keep up to 2 days in the fridge in a loosely covered container. They freeze undipped for up to 1 month. Reheat refrigerated or frozen undipped balls on a baking sheet at 375°F (190°C) for 5–8 minutes, then dip in fresh syrup."

Substitutions

rose water → orange blossom water. Use the same amount for a more citrusy floral flavor, or use half and half.
whole milk powder → 2 tablespoons more flour plus 1 tablespoon extra sugar. The dough will be slightly less rich and brown a little more slowly.
instant yeast → active dry yeast. Use the same amount, stir it into the warm water with the dough sugar and let it foam for 5–10 minutes before mixing it into the dry ingredients.
raw unsalted pistachios → crushed walnuts or dried rose petals. Use the same amount, or leave the garnish off.