Egyptian Zalabia Balls Recipe: Luqmat al-Qadi (2024)

Zalabia is one of the delicious Egyptian sweets that spread in the thirteenth century AD because it is originally an Iraqi dessert, which is balls of dough (the same dough as donuts) fried in oil and covered with sugar sauce.

Where did Luqmat al-Qadi’s Name come From?

The zalabia has different names in the Arab countries, such as Luqmat al-Qadi, and this name means in English the judge’s bite

Where the judges in this era did not get money in the event of economic stagnation and these sweets were given to them in order to satisfy their hunger and that is why it was called by this name.

To prepare the zalabia or lokmat al-qadi, we need to make the sugar syrup and then make the dough.

Egyptian Zalabia Balls -Luqmat al-Qadi Syrup.

INGREDIENTS

1. 3cups of sugar
2. 2cups of water
3. 1tablespoonlemon juice

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Put sugar and water in the cooking pan
2. In order to make the syrup, there are two ways. You stir the sugar and water for 10 minutes using a wooden spoon, and then put it on the fire.

• Or put it on the fire without stirring for 20 minutes. Personally, I prefer the first method because it preserves the taste.

1. When the syrup starts to boil, add lemon juice , leave it for 15 MIN
2. Put the syrup in a jar and let it cool for at least 3 hours, until it becomes thicker

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Egyptian Zalabia Balls -Luqmat al-Qadi Dough

INGREDIENTS

1. 3cupsall-purpose flour (375 g)
2. 3tablespoonsstarch (60 grams)
3. 1 and ½tablespooncustard (15 grams), if not available, replace with starch
4. 1tablespoonyeast (10 g)
5. 3tablespoonsoil (35 grams)
6. 1teaspoonvanilla (5 g)
7. 2tablespoonspowdered milk (40 grams)
8. 1tablespoonsugar (20 grams)
9. ½teaspoonsalt (3 grams)
10. 1teaspoonbaking powder (5 g)
11. 1 and ½cupswarm water (307 grams)
12. ¾cuproom temperature buttermilk(160 grams)
13. ½literOil

INSTRUCTIONS

1. On half a cup of water, add the yeast and sugar and mix them well with a spoon
2. Bring the deep plate and add the flour, salt, custard, starch, powdered milk, baking powder and vanilla
3. Make sure that the yeast forms a thick layer, then add it to the flour
4. Add the buttermilk, then the oil, and stir well
5. Start by adding the cup of water gradually until you control the texture of the dough (it should be thicker than the cake dough), then using a trainer or a stand mixer, Mix the dough for 3 minutes or 5 if you use a hand mixer
6. Cover the dough and leave it to ferment in a warm, dark place for two to three hours
7. After fermentation, flip the dough once or twice until it returns to the previous shape
8. In order to form the zalabia in the form of a ball, use a small spoon (and put it in the oil as shown).
9. Take a part of the dough between the thumb and forefinger and use the spoon to make Zalabia Balls
10. Put a lot of oil on the fire until it gets hot (preferably in a deep cooking pot)

• Then put the Zalabia
• do not flip them until they float on the surface of the oil

1. When the Zalabia turn golden, take them out of the oil and put them in a large strainer so that all the dumplings are side by side.
2. Leave the Zalabiato cool (at least half an hour), then put them again in the oil, the oil should be medium heat, and stir them well until you get a dark golden color and the outer surface becomes crispy.
3. Leave the Zalabiafor two minutes, then put them in the sugar syrup (for a minute or two, according to taste).
4. Put the Zalabiaon the serving plate